Man, 25 arrested for raping 3-yr-old in Minna
The suspect, a next door neighbour to the yet unidentified parents of the victim, lured the little girl into the premises of a primary school, in the neighbourhood and raped her.
The Nigerian Tribune gathered that shouts from the little girl attracted passersby who caught Saliu in the act. He, however, attempted to evade police arrest.
It was learnt further that the concerned neighbours gave the suspect a hot chase, apprehended him and handed him to the police for prosecution at Chanchaga Divisional Police Headquarters, under the state police command.
An insider source who spoke to the Nigerian Tribune on the condition of anonymity, stated that upon interrogation by the police at the homicide section of the State’s Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Minna, said upon interrogation by the police the suspect, Lawal, allegedly confessed to the crime but claimed he was doing it for the first time with the little girl.
“I know the parents of the girl, they are my next door neighbour and I decided to lure her into a classroom. She, however, began to cry because her private part was very tight.”
The suspect who is said to be a bricklayer allegedly stated further that the attempted rape on 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, Mr Richard A. Oguche, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) confirmed the incident in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune.
“Rape is a capital offence and investigation into this case is almost completed, we are just waiting for the Medical report 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,” he stated.
He added that the Homicide Detectives were still gathering more evidences 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 resident at Angwan Daji, on the outskirt of Minna, the state capital.
