A 19-year-old lady, Miss Ugo (not her real name), has found herself torn between seeking an end to years of alleged sexual abuse by her father and seeing him sent to prison.

Ugo alleged that her father, Uche Didie, a 43-year-old man from Delta State, first sexually abused her in 2019 when she was 12 years old.

According to her, the abuse continued for years until Sunday, September 6, 2026, when she finally found the courage to disclose her ordeal to someone outside the family.

Ugo, who lives with both parents at Opeloyeru, Maya, Ikorodu, Lagos, told The Guardian that although she decided to speak out to end the abuse, she did not want her father to be jailed because she feared it would destroy the family.

Didie was arrested by members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) before being handed over to the Police Tactical Unit in Araro, Ikorodu.

He was later transferred to the Gender Unit, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Oluwatoyin Kazeem.

Speaking with The Guardian, Ugo, who recently completed her secondary education, alleged that her father had been sexually abusing her since 2019.

“He has been having sexual intercourse with me since 2019. I have never had a boyfriend. My dad is the only man who has had carnal knowledge of me,” she said.

Asked whether she had ever tried to stop the abuse, she said she eventually confided in a close friend, who is the son of their pastor.

“I wanted it to stop, and that’s why I told our pastor’s son. I want him to be released, but I will stop staying with my parents. I will go to my grandmother in Agege or my aunt in Egbeda,” she said.

Ugo alleged that the abuse began when her father forced himself on her and warned her not to tell anyone.

“He did not convince me; he forced himself on me. He always asked me not to tell anyone and said he would beat me if
I told anybody. Sometimes, he also bought me gifts,” she alleged.

She said the abuse occurred about once or twice a month and that she had earlier told her mother, who confronted Didie.

“I told my mum about it and she confronted him, but he denied it. I had to tell one of my closest friends, who is also our pastor’s son, and he told our pastor,” she said.

Despite acknowledging that her father’s arrest might be necessary, Ugo said she did not want him imprisoned.

“I know the best thing is for my dad to be arrested, but that’s not what I want because I don’t want it to affect our future. I’m his second child, and there are three of us—two girls and one boy,” she said.

However, during questioning by the OPC, Didie gave a different account, claiming that the sexual relationship began only recently.

“I started sleeping with her this year. I was yet to start having intercourse with her when my wife confronted me,” he said.

He also claimed that another man was responsible for what happened.

“Someone caused this. A man told me that they wanted to use my girl, and that was when I started sleeping with her,” he said.