The Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, has charged 41-year old Effiom Etowah to court for defiling his three-year-old daughter.

Etowah’s plea for pardon was turned down by the court.

A Magistrate Court, sitting in Ibadan North East Local Government Secretariat, ordered that the suspect should be remanded at the NSCDC custody at Agodi, Ibadan.

Etowah was, however, not admitted at the Correctional Centre in Ibadan as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chief Magistrate, Taiwo Oladiran, adjourned the case till July 16 for hearing.

The state Commandant of NSCDC, Iskilu Akinsanya, while addressing journalists on the matter on Tuesday, said the man was charged for defilement by the Anti Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit of NSCDC.

The offence, he said, was contrary to Section 357, and punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Volume 2, law of Oyo State 2000.

Meanwhile, two other suspects, Morufu Amusat, 38, and Akanmu Michael, 52, have also been remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre, Ibadan for a similar offence.

The duo are being prosecuted allegedly for defiling minors.

The commandant said over 165 cases had been handled by the Anti Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit in the course of the year.

According to him, their offences ranged from child neglect, assault and child abuse, child labour, physical assault, wife absconding with children, disobedience child, trafficking, sexual harassment to attempted rape.

He said the Unit was working in conjunction with the Ministry of Women Affairs’ Sexual Gender-Based Violence Response Team and the Rapid Response team both in the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs and the state Ministry of Justice.

He said;

“Anybody caught in the act of molesting or rape will face full wrath of law. Parents and guardians should monitor their children and wards and randomly check on them.”