NIGERIA: The police in Ogun State have arrested a 70-year-old carpenter, Baba Ahmed, for allegedly defiling a 10-year-old girl who dropped out of school in Alagbole in the Ifo Local Government Area.
Ahmed was arrested and detained on Wednesday by the Ajuwon Police Division after the girl reported the abuse to some neighbours.
The victim, who sells pepper and tomatoes in the Alagbole area, reportedly confessed that Ahmed defiled her twice.
A neighbour who identified himself only as Alhaji Bashiru said the victim stayed with her aunt who also allegedly physically abused her.
He said, “The suspect is a carpenter and stays on Ayo Akintokun Street. The girl stays with her aunt who is also physically abusing her. We have pictures. Ahmed was arrested on Wednesday by operatives from the Ajuwon division. Nobody knew where the defilement happened but we found out that he had abused her twice.
“He was also said to have bribed some community people with N10,000 when they wanted to make a report to the police after the first occurrence. We want the police to investigate the matter well and fight for the poor girl.”
Our correspondent learnt that the matter was also brought to the attention of a human rights group, Behind Bars Initiative, which confirmed that apart from Ahmed, another young boy had also been detained for allegedly defiling the girl.
The group Head of Media, Benedict Onyemauchechukwu, said, “We received a call from an anonymous person that the man defiled the 10-year-old girl. We carried out an underground investigation that led to his arrest. We put a call to the aunt who claimed she was in Agege and till we left the station, she didn’t appear.
“Ahmed is currently in detention while a medical test will be carried out on Friday. The children of the suspect are aware of the case and they are begging for settlement. The Divisional Police Officer and the human rights department at Ajuwon did a good job.”
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed Ahmed’s arrest.
“Yes, the incident is true. I am still waiting for the Divisional Police Officer to give me more details,” he said.
Meanwhile a 27-year-old man, Hunwi Nutayi has been arrested by men of an indigenous security outfit known as So-Safe Corps for allegedly raping a 20-year-old woman.
The suspect was reported to have laid an ambush for his victim in the bush at Sekeme/Setoko in the Ipokia Local Government Area of the state.
The corps Spokesperson, Moruf Yusuf, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.
Yusuf said the suspected rapist was arrested on Wednesday after the victim reported the incident to the corps at Ijofin Division in the local government.
According to him, the suspect confessed to the crime and has been handed over to the police at the Ipokia Police Division for further investigation.
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