The Ebonyi State Police Command says it has completed investigations into the alleged sexual abuse of a three-year-old girl at Abakaliki Cathedral and forwarded the case file to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.
The Ebonyi State Police Command has provided an update on the alleged defilement of a three-year-old girl reportedly linked to a Catholic catechist at Abakaliki Cathedral, stating that the case remains subject to legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
The police disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, in response to public concerns over the case.
According to the Command, the case file was first forwarded to the DPP in October 2025, with a reminder sent in May 2026. However, the police said they had not received the requested legal advice as of the date of the statement.
The police said the investigation began after the child’s mother lodged a complaint on September 1, 2025, alleging that her daughter, Chidinma Cynthia James, was sexually assaulted on August 22, 2025, at approximately 8:30 a.m.
The alleged incident reportedly occurred after the child entered the residence of Herbert Obioma Okoro.
According to the police account, the mother said her daughter had gone outside to play and was seen holding hands with another child, estimated to be about four years old. When the mother later discovered that her daughter was missing, she searched for her and made inquiries among neighbours, who reportedly said they had not seen the child.
The mother reportedly said the child eventually returned and told her she had come from Okoro’s residence. She also noticed that the girl was limping.
The police added that the mother subsequently took the child to a hospital, where a medical examination reportedly indicated that she had been sexually abused.
The Ebonyi Police Command said three people were arrested during the investigation: Herbert Obioma Okoro, Nkechi Obioma Okoro and Adanna Obioma Okoro.
The complainant had reportedly identified the individuals as people suspected of having information about the incident.
However, the police stated that the suspects denied in their statements that the child had visited their residence and said they had no knowledge of what happened to her.
The Command said it had completed its investigation and submitted the case file to the DPP for legal advice. It maintained that further action would be taken in accordance with the law after receiving the advice.
The police also urged the public to rely on verified information and allow due process to take its course, reiterating their commitment to protecting children and investigating allegations of criminal conduct.
The police statement followed a social media post by lawyer Barrister Steve Ugama, who said he had contacted the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) to request that the case be reopened for further investigation.
Ugama alleged that the girl, now four years old, was still experiencing health complications that her family associated with the alleged assault.
He said the child’s mother had taken her back to hospital after noticing an unusual discharge. According to the lawyer, a doctor involved in the child’s treatment told him that the girl had been diagnosed with injuries associated with the alleged incident during her initial hospital visit.
Ugama also alleged that the catechist had previously been arrested and subsequently released on bail. He said the IPO informed him that the investigation had been concluded and the case file forwarded to the DPP.
The lawyer further claimed that he had contacted the child’s father and the cathedral administrator while seeking additional information about the case.
According to his account, the cathedral administrator disputed the allegation against the catechist and made counterclaims concerning the child’s mother. Ugama also alleged that the mother said she and her husband had faced pressure to discontinue the case.
These claims and counterclaims have not been independently verified and should not be treated as established facts.
Ugama said he had informed the IPO of his request for further investigation but had been unable to reach the catechist directly.
The lawyer appealed to members of the public to share information about the case, arguing that further action was necessary in view of the concerns he raised about the child’s condition.
As of the police statement, however, the Command maintained that the matter was awaiting the DPP’s legal advice.
The next steps in the case will depend on the outcome of that process and any further action considered necessary by the relevant authorities.
Efforts to reach the child’s mother for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
The allegations remain subject to due process, and no finding of criminal liability has been established in the information provided by the police.
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