A 21-year-old Nigerian woman doing her mandatory national service in Akwa Ibom State, South-south Nigeria, has been gang-raped in Uyo, the police have said.

The police in Akwa Ibom said in a statement on Tuesday that the member was raped on May 24 by two men. The victim is doing her primary assignment in Uyo.

The statement signed by the police spokesperson in the state, N-Nudam Fredrick said one of the men alleged to have raped the corps member has been arrested, while the other is on the run.

The police identified the arrested man as Ofonime Emmanuel Essien of 15 Iba Oku Street, Uyo. He is said to be 25 years old.

The fleeing suspect has been identified as Frank Okon.

“Investigation revealed that the victim visited her colleagues at No. 15 Iba Oku Street and later took her phone to the room where the suspects are living at the same address for charging and met Ofonime Emmanuel who pretended to be asleep, while Frank Okon and two girls were in the room,” the police said.

“Shortly after the victim left for her colleagues’ room in the same compound she was called by Frank Okon that Ofonime Emmanuel was awake. The suspects swooped down on the victim and serially gang-raped her as she entered the room.”

The police, in the statement, also said they have arrested a 55-year-old man, Udo Ekong Esau, in Odot 1 community, Nsit Atai Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom state, for allegedly raping his 15-year-old step-daughter in March.

According to the police, Mr Esau chased the teenager out of his home when he realised she was pregnant.

The police also said they have arrested one Ekemini Asuquo Aya, 38, for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl whom he was said to have lured with N1500 to a hotel, Celebrity Hotel, in Abak Local Government Area, on June 8.

The suspect was said to have threatened to kill the girl if she reports the incident to the police.

In the wake of these recent rape cases, Nigerians have been demanding tougher actions on rape from the authorities.

Thelagostimes recalls that Vera Omozuwa, an undergraduate student in Edo state, was brutally attacked inside a church in Benin City last month. She died some days after in the hospital. It is believed that her attackers also raped her.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, in response to the outrage, ordered the strengthening of Gender-Desk Units and the Juvenile Welfare Centres across Nigeria.