Ese Oruru: Court sentences abductor to 26 years in prison

Dahiru had kidnapped Ese and forced her into early marriage. 

The Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state capital, has finally brought justice the way of Ese Oruru, a teenager who was kidnapped and forced into early marriage by her abductor, Yinusa Dahiru. Delivering the verdict on behalf of the court, the presiding judge, Justice Jane Inyang, sentenced Dahiru to 26 years in prison, The Nation reports. Although Justice Jane jailed Dahiru five years on count two, seven years on count three, seven years on count four, seven years on count five, the judge acquitted him of count one.

The court also ruled that the sentences are expected to run concurrently. Earlier, Legit.ng reported that three years after she was rescued from her alleged kidnap from Bayelsa to Kano state where she was said to have been married off to Dahiru, Ese had completed her secondary school education.

Ese’s child who was also born as a result of the incident is turning three. It was also gathered that Ese who was allegedly abducted at 13 was relocated to her hometown in Uwheru community in Ughelli of Delta state by her parents who were doing business in Bayelsa state. Sources close to the Oruru’s family said Ese who was five months pregnant as at the time of her rescue gave birth to a baby girl in 2016.

The relative also said that the government of Bayelsa and Delta state had promised to contribute to take care of the child although none of these promises have been fulfilled including a scholarship offer made by the Bayelsa state government to the teenage mother. Another source, however, said that a house provided by Bayelsa state governor to the Oruru’s could not be used due to security reasons. The source said: “Government also promised to establish a business for Ese’s mother, but they never did anything about it. “Ese’s baby girl is about three-years-old now, she has reached school age, but due to logistic reasons, she is yet to start” (Legit)