A 47-year-old man identified as Eromosele Mahmud has been arrested by the Police in Rivers State for allegedly impregnating his 16-year old daughter after raping her for five years.

The suspect, a single parent and a father of three from Esako West Local Government Area of Edo state who resides in Port Harcourt confessed to have been raping his daughter since she was 12 years old.

Mahmud, who claimed to be oblivious of his drive in committing the act, pleaded that the two-months-old pregnancy of his daughter be nurtured till delivery, adding that he didn’t subscribe to abortion.

He confessed that his daughter whose identity was concealed started enjoying and sometimes forced herself on him.

He said:

“This is a battle I have tried to fight over the years and it seems to be much bigger than me, I am not going to withdraw any fact or truth so far as this case is concerned. If this is the only way my daughter can be liberated, if i go to prison then it is good. My happiness is that I am relieved even as I speak to you now.

“I can’t really remember when it started, but like I told you, it’s more of a spiritual thing. It is very unusual for a father to be sleeping with his own daughter. I am not a party to abortion, so whatever it is, the social welfare and other government officials involved in this matter know the best way to handle this pregnancy, as a father I cannot support abortion for my daughter, what if anything happened to her in the process.

“I don’t rape her regularly, it happens once or twice in a year, she used to be very cooperative, even when i don’t want it, she tries to force herself on me.”

On the part of the victim said each time she protested against her father’s act, her father would maltreat her and stop paying her school fees and also punish her severely.

“It was my father that impregnated me, he started when I was 12 years old till now.

“The first time he came and lay with me on the bed, when I tried to scream, he told me shut up that my mates were doing the same thing and anytime I refused to allow him, he would not buy anything for me again or pay my school fees.”

On his part, the Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State, Nnamdi Omoni, said the suspect would be charged once investigations were concluded.