18-year-old gang-rape victim commits suicide...

An 18-year-old rape victim, identified as Janet, has committed suicide in the Amarata area of Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The deceased, a native of Oduali community in Abus/Odua Local Government Area of Rivers State, was allegedly raped by three unidentified boys in the area.

Janet reportedly hanged herself due to the stigmatisation she allegedly experienced after the incident.

A family source, who craved anonymity, said Janet was gang-raped last week at gunpoint, while on errand for her elder sister. She was said to have been forced into an uncompleted building by her assailants, who were three in number before the act.

The source said, "Janet was visibly sad and devastated after the incident; she narrated her experience to her sister and sister's husband. The sister's husband, who is a pastor, asked her to describe any of her attackers and she described a certain boy.

"The boy was traced to his house but when they got there, they discovered that he had absconded. Her brother-in-law then assured her that he would pursue the matter to a logical conclusion."

Unknown to her guardians, the distraught girl had decided to take her life due to the ugly incident. Janet gulped a poisonous substance known as sniper. She was rushed to the Gloryland Hospital when she was discovered to be groaning in pain."

It was further gathered from a family member that the deceased had left behind a suicide note before taking her life.

When contacted on the development, spokesman for the Bayelsa State Police Command, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the incident.

He said the police had begun an investigation into the alleged rape report lodged by the deceased's family.