The Niger State Police Command on Tuesday arrested a 25-year-old man, Saliu Lawal, over allegations of forcefully having a canal knowledge of a three-year-old girl, whose name was simply called Miss Humi (other names withheld) at Angwan Daji, in Chanchaga Local Government Area of the state.
The incident was said to have occurred on August 23, 2013, after which the suspect, who is said to be a next door neighbour to the yet-unidentified parents of the victim, lured the little girl into the premises of Nuru Islam Primary School, in the neighbourhood community, tore her pant and forced his manhood into her private part.
Findings revealed that no sooner had the suspect committed the crime that the little girl cried out aloud, following which the passersby were attracted to the scene and caught Saliu in the act as he attempted to run away in an attempt to evade police arrest.
It was further learnt that the concerned neighbours gave the suspect a hot chase, apprehended him and handed him to the police at Chanchaga Divisional Police Headquarters, under the state Police Command, for prosecution.
The suspect said: “I know the parents of the girl.
“They are my next door neighbour and I decided to lure her into a classroom at Nuru Islam Primary School at Angwan Daji where I tore her pant and I forced my manhood into her private part when I had erection but I could not penetrate her further as she began to cry because her private part was very tight.
“And her very loud cry attracted some passers by who came to the scene and caught me unaware.
“I was shocked when I saw the people and I wanted to bolt away but I was not so lucky as they caught up with me, beat me mercilessly and handed me over to the police.”
A source stated that on interrogation at the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Minna, Lawal allegedly confessed to the crime but claimed he was doing it for the first time with the little girl.
The suspect, who is said to be a bricklayer, allegedly stated further that his attempted rape of the little girl was the first time he committed the crime and also denied ever taking advantage of any other little girl in the neighbourhood in the recent past.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, Niger State Police Command, Richard A. Oguche, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident.
Oguche said rape is a serious offence and investigation into this case is almost completed.
According to him: “We are just waiting for the report of the medical examination conducted on the victim, while the suspect would soon be charged to court.
“And his admission to the commission of that offence is not substantial enough.”
Oguche added that homicide detectives were still gathering more information that could assist the police in the prosecution of the suspect, whom he described as a serial rapist, going by the information allegedly given to the police by some concerned citizens at Angwan Daji, an outskirts of Minna, the state capital.
