Seven suspects have been arrested in Nasarawa State for allegedly having sexual relations with underage victims of different genders, including a 12-year-old girl said to be a sachet water salesgirl.
Parading the suspects at the state Criminal Investigative Department in Lafia, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ismaila Numan, said all the victims involved were below the age of 18 years and that five were rape cases, while two were sodomy cases.
The command’s spokesperson stated that two of the suspects involved in one of the rape cases conspired in Lafia on February 5 and forcefully had carnal knowledge of a 12-year-old girl, who was hawking sachet water.
Numan said, “They forcefully took the girl to an uncompleted building behind the general hospital and had unlawful carnal knowledge of her. She was rescued by the public upon hearing her appeal for help.”
Numan also explained that on February 6, in Karu Local Government Area, another suspect, who was also paraded for rape, seized money realised from the sale of sachet water from a 15-year-old girl and cajoled her to come to his house on the pretence of giving the money to her there.
“The sad part of this particular case is that this suspect has been confirmed to be HIV positive after all necessary medical tests were conducted. One can imagine the implication of his action,” he said.
The PPRO also disclosed that on February 3 in Karu, two other suspects, who were teachers in Pilot Science Secondary School, Mararaba, conspired and raped a 16-year-old girl who is a student of the said school.
“One of the suspects was celebrating his birthday on that day. So, he invited the victim and maliciously gave her an alcoholic drink, which got her drunk.
“The other suspect who also came to celebrate with his colleague used the opportunity to take full advantage of victim and had unlawful carnal knowledge of her,” the PPRO said.
Speaking on the cases of sodomy, Numan explained that on February 11, one suspect was arrested in Doma local government area of the state for forcefully having carnal knowledge of a 10-year-old boy in an uncompleted building.
“After the incident, the boy ran out and reported the matter to one Adamu Hassan who was on his way to his shop. It was this person who now raised the alarm over the incident and ensured the suspect was arrested and taken to the police station there.
“Evidence from preliminary investigation revealed that indeed the offence was committed,” he said.
Another sodomy incident February 7 was said to have occurred in Lafia, where one Abubakar Mohammed visited ‘B’ division and reported the suspect for committing the act with a seven-year-old boy.
The suspect was said to have enticed a seven-year-old boy with N100 and took him to an uncompleted building nearby and forcefully had carnal knowledge of him.
The PPRO called on parents and school proprietors to constantly monitor the relationship between their children and their teachers and report any suspicious activity to the police.
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