The parents of 14-year-old Ese Oruru have reacted to rumours that their daughter is five-months pregnant.
They told our correspondent, in separate interviews, that their underage daughter may have been raped by Yunusa, aka Yellow.
Ese, who hails from Ughelli North, in Delta State, was abducted by Yunusa, a regular customer at her mother’s food stall, in August 2015 from Bayelsa and taken to Kano.
The Orurus said that their daughter had been forced to convert to Islam and into a child marriage without their consent.
Ese’s father, Mr. Charles Oruru, told our correspondent, “My daughter was raped by that man. I saw the sign when I first saw her last night. We are glad ‘stage one’ is over. I am happy she has been finally released and I have seen her, but I am sad. Now we will have to face whatever comes next.”
He however said the family would hold a meeting in the next few days to take a collective decision on the matter.
Oruru also told The PUNCH that they would also meet with the Police, lawyers, and other concerned persons on the issue.
Ese’s mum, Rose, also said her daughter may have been raped.
She told The PUNCH that while she cannot say for certain that Ese is pregnant, medical tests would confirm if the rumour was true or not.
When asked if she had seen obvious physical signs on her daughter that she may be pregnant, she said, “They told us she had undergone medical tests in Kano and Abuja. Until I see the results of the tests, I can’t say for sure if Ese is pregnant or not, but I think my daughter was raped. And that is another issue entirely; and the laws are there, which says rape is a crime,” she said on her way on Thursday morning to the Police Officers Mess, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
She was accompanied there by two of her five children, 16-year-old Onome and 11-year-old Lucky.
Her other daughters, eldest Patricia and Faith, had left the house last night for the Police Officers Mess in Yenagoa to see their long lost sister for the first time since her abduction in August last year.
The teenager’s mother also said Ese did not know she was in Kano State until after some time. “It was like she had been hypnotised,” she said.
When asked what she would do if she eventually confirms that her daughter was indeed pregnant, she was at a loss. “Until then,” she said.
After arriving Port Harcourt airport on Wednesday evening, Ese and her mother were driven in a police car to Yenagoa and arrived the Bayelsa State capital that same night.
They were then taken to the Police Officers mess in Yenagoa.
Both parents returned to their residence at Opolo area of the state at about 10.35pm on Wednesday night to a rapturous welcome from family members, neighbours and well wishers.
The news of Ese’s release and arrival were greeted with jubilation and dancing at the Orurus’ residence, which lasted into the wee hours of the morning.
“I have never seen my mother so happy since the time Ese was abducted,” Lucky told our correspondent.
Meanwhile, the chairperson, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Bayelsa State Chapter, Barrister (Mrs.) Dise Ogbise-Erhisere, told The PUNCH that they would make a statement.
As of time of filing this report, our correspondent gathered that Ese was still being kept at the Police Officers Mess in Yenagoa.
Journalists were refused access into the building.
The PUNCH gathered that the Orurus would be taken to the State Government House later today.
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