FACT-CHECK: Did Chiamaka Okoro get Pregnant in DSS Custody?
FACT-CHECK: Did Chiamaka Okoro get Pregnant in DSS Custody?
A recent report that has since gone viral on Social media alleged that a 16-year old girl, Chiamaka Okoro, arrested by the DSS in Imo state earlier this year, got pregnant in its custody.
POLITICS NIGERIA, in its pursuit of truth and accountability, decided to investigate and verify the authenticity of this report and here is what was discovered.
CLAIM: On the 15th of July, a Facebook page affiliated with the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, called ‘Anyi Kings’, shared a story titled “four months in DSS Chiamaka Okoro now pregnant in Owerri DSS dungeon.”
The story read; “Her name is Chidera Amaefula, a 15-year-old teenager from Atta Umunnam Njaba Local Government Area, Imo state. She and six other little girls: Oluebube Uzoma, Chidinma Oba, Favour Azubike, Chiamaka Okoro, Chibueze Ezike, and Mmesoma Ezike, are still been held hostage incarcerated and sexually abused in DSS for over four months now and counting in Owerri DSS dungeon.”
“Disturbing report from DSS dungeon in Imo state has it that these little girls have been turned into sex slaves… which has resulted to a confirmed report that one of the girl Chiamaka Okoro is now pregnant.”
The Page has over 24,000 followers.
Furthermore, a news platform, Naija247news published a report on the same story. The report read: “Disturbing report from DSS Dungeon in Imo state has it that these little girls has been turned into sex slaves in the hand of Fulani controlled DSS in imo state.”
“As these uncircumcised elements are taking advantage of them, taking turn to abuse them sexually on daily basis helplessly which has resulted to a confirmed report that one of the girl Chiamaka Okoro is now pregnant inside DSS Dungeon in Owerri Imo state.”
BACKGROUND
Chiamaka Okoro was one of the suspects arrested by DSS operatives during a raid on a hideout of suspected members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), a paramilitary organisation of IPOB in Njaba area of imo state on March 14, 2022.
She has been in Custody ever since.
VERIFICATION: A medical report exclusively sighted by POLITICS NIGERIA, showed that as at July 22nd, when a scan was conducted by a medical facility – Medicare Manus – in Owerri, Chiamaka Okoro was 27 weeks, 6 days pregnant.
“Having gone through the pregnancy result, you now know that the suspect was twenty-seven weeks, six days gone, as at July 22, 2022. In fact, her expected due date (EDD) is 15th October, according to the scan result you just sighted.”, a source who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent.
“Note that she was nabbed during a serious operation within the Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State, on March 14th, 2022. The government, having read online propaganda aimed at disparaging the secret service, directed the ministry of health to get to the root of the matter,”, the source said.
Also, the spokesperson of the DSS, Peter Afunanya, denied that the girl was impregnated by DSS operatives
“Our staff are highly disciplined and professional, and so cannot be involved in such an act, more so that they know the consequences,” he said.
CONCLUSION: From the medical report and the denial of the DSS spokesperson, it is evident that the claim that Okoro was impregnated in DSS custody is FALSE.