By Samuel Oyadongha

Yenagoa—Yunusa Dahiru, alias Yellow, who allegedly abducted 14-year-old Ese Oruru, and took her to Kano where she was forcibly converted to Islam and married without the consent of her parents, is to be arraigned in court this week.

It was gathered that a special prosecutor from the Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, had arrived Yenagoa, Bayelsa State,  ahead of preparations for the arraignment of the suspect.

Yunusa Yellow and Ese Oruru

The special prosecutor, who arrived Bayelsa on Saturday, is reported to have met with the suspect and the victim to obtain their statements.

Ese Oruru statement, it was gathered, was obtained in the presence of the police and her parents while that of Yunusa was taken in police custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department with the help of an officer of Hausa extraction.

Also expected to work with the special prosecutor from the Force Headquarters is the Bayelsa State government legal team led by the Solicitor-General of the state and the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, who is a senior member of International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA.

While some members of the civil society groups said that the arraignment of Yinusa Dahiru would be done within the week, others said the proper documentation needed for criminal prosecution of the suspect had been prepared.

It was also gathered that the Legal Department of the Bayelsa Police Command had contacted the State Office of the Legal Aid Council to provide legal services and an interpreter for the suspect.

“He may be arraigned in court this week. But I suspect it may be today,” said a source, who pleaded anonymity.

Though the spokesman of the state police command could not be reached for comment, sources told Vanguard that the planned arraignment of the suspect might be conducted in secret to protect the victim, who is a minor.

Ese Oruru still under police protection

Meanwhile, the 14-year- old Ese is still under protection at the police officers mess, where she is sheltered in one of the guest rooms upstairs.

Only her parents, the prosecution team, representatives of the NGOs handling her case and medical personnel have access to her.

According to security sources, the measure was to save her from the spotlight being a minor so as not to jeopardize her rehabilitation process.