A High Court in Cross River State on Wednesday sentenced one Mr. Uduak Udo to life imprisonment for the rape of an eight-year-old child in Calabar.
The case was first reported on March 31, 2025, when Udo, 39, was alleged to have assaulted the child. Throughout the proceedings, the defendant denied the allegations.
Delivering the judgment on Wednesday in Calabar, Justice Blessing Egwu imposed the maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The judge noted Udo’s persistent denial and stated that, given the lack of any mitigating factors, the severity of the crime necessitated the harshest possible sentence.
Justice Egwu also issued a stern reprimand to the survivor’s mother, citing her role in exposing the child to significant danger.
The court heard that the mother had forced the young child into street hawking instead of ensuring she was in school.
The court proceedings revealed a harrowing series of events leading up to the crime:
”Following an incident where the child spilled the goods she was selling, the mother physically abused the victim and eventually locked her out of the house. The child sought refuge at Mr. Udo’s house, and he initially allowed her to stay. However, during the night, he bypassed his sleeping wife, went to the parlor where the child was sleeping, and committed the heinous crime,” the judge stated.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. James Ibor, Principal Counsel of the Basic Rights Council Initiative (BRCI), commended the judiciary and prosecutors for their diligence.
Ibor also lauded the Cross River Commissioner of Police, Rashid Afegbua, and the State Attorney General, Ededem Ani, for their roles in the conviction.
He vowed that his organization would continue fighting for the protection of vulnerable children.
“This verdict serves as a stern warning against child abuse. It underscores that sexual violence against minors carries severe, uncompromising legal consequences within the state’s justice system,” Ibor said.
