19-year-old pleads against father’s imprisonment after alleging years of sexual abuse

In Lagos, 19-year-old Ugo Rejoice has pleaded against the imprisonment of her father, Uche Didie, following her allegations of years of sexual abuse. The alleged abuse began when Rejoice was just 12 years old, according to her, and lasted until she brought the matter to light on September 6, 2026. Rejoice claimed that Didie sexually assaulted her once or twice a month, threatening to beat her if she ever spoke about it.

She stated that he forced himself on her, denying her any agency in the matter, and often gave her gifts to dissuade her from making such claims. Rejoice's mother had previously been informed of the abuse and confronted her father, who denied the allegations. The situation came to a head when Rejoice confided in a friend, who is the son of their pastor, leading to Didie's arrest by members of the OPC and his transfer to the Police Tactical Unit in Araro, Ikorodu.

Despite her desire for the abuse to end, Rejoice clarified that she was not seeking her father's imprisonment due to the potential impact on their family dynamics. She expressed her preference for her father to be released, rather than facing the consequences of her accusations, as she is the second child of three siblings. Rejoice mentioned her desire to leave her parents' home and stay with her grandmother in Agege or her aunt in Egbeda, instead of enduring the ongoing conflict.

Didie, however, presented a conflicting account in a video. He disputed Rejoice's assertion that the abuse started in 2019, instead claiming that the alleged incidents only began in 2026.