A High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has sentenced a 46-year-old man, Imeh Sunday, to life imprisonment for raping his biological daughter.

The judgment was delivered on Wednesday by Justice Blessing Egwu of the Family Court 2 after the defendant was found guilty of incestuous rape.

The case was prosecuted by the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative, a non-governmental organisation focused on protecting the rights of children and vulnerable persons.

In her ruling, Justice Egwu held that the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, describing the evidence presented as overwhelming. She subsequently sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment, which is the maximum penalty under the law for such offences.

Following the judgment, the Principal Counsel of the organisation, James Ibor, commended the courage of the survivor throughout the trial. He also praised the efforts of the survivor’s guardians, the police, the judiciary, and the state Ministry of Justice for their roles in ensuring justice was served.

He noted that the conviction marks the fourth rape-related case successfully concluded by the organisation in Cross River State within the last four months.

The case adds to a growing list of sexual abuse prosecutions in Nigeria, where law enforcement agencies and advocacy groups continue to push for stronger action against offenders and better protection for victims, especially minors.