A 47-year-old man, Emi Sigah, has died after being flogged over the alleged rape of a 10-year-old girl in the Ekeowe community of southern Ijaw, Bayelsa State.
Sigah was said to have allegedly ambushed and assaulted the girl in a bush while she was returning from a farm with her aunt on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
In line with local customs, community leaders reportedly imposed a penalty of 120 lashes, with each of the 12 families in the village administering 10 strokes as a deterrent.
It was gathered that during the proceedings, some residents proposed fines of N15,000 and N50,000 in an attempt to halt the corporal punishment.
However, the suggestions were rejected by community members who insisted on enforcing the traditional sanction.
Sigah reportedly lost consciousness after receiving about 40 strokes. He was rushed to a community hospital where he was confirmed dead on arrival.
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News of his death sparked immediate protests as youths took to the streets. Soldiers from the Ogboinbiri base were subsequently deployed in the community to prevent an escalation.
The Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, Musa Mohammed, confirmed the incident on Saturday.
Mohammed disclosed that four suspects have been apprehended, adding that an investigation has commenced to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death.
“The investigation is ongoing at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yenagoa,” the police spokesman stated.
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