The Nasarawa State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, yesterday arrested five suspects for allegedly raping a 14-year-old-girl.
The NSCDC state commandant, Mr. Andekin Musa, who paraded the suspects before newsmen in Lafia, explained that the suspects were artisans working at a construction site in Doma local government market, while the girl was a sachet water vendor.
Musa said four of the suspects on January 30 lured the girl into an uncompleted building beside the Doma market and took turns to rape her.
“The suspects raped her in an uncompleted building near the market. They lured her to the building saying they would buy her water, and raped her,” Andekin said.
According to Musa, officers of the command in Doma had received a complaint on February 1, leading to the arrest of two the suspects near Tudun Laraba community in Doma, while the three other suspects were later arrested on the same day from the Doma market.
“The rape took place on the 30th of January while arrests took place on the 1st of February. They are all around and they have all confessed to committing the offence.” He said
Musa said the suspects, Mr Wada Mohammed, 37, Mr Tanko Adamu, 36, Mr Abubakar Ogachi, 40, Mr Yusuf Ogar, 35, and Mr. Samaila, Ali 35, would be prosecuted after investigation had been concluded.
“From our investigation, the suspects have been in the habit of raping underage girls and we have been receiving reports of similar cases in that area”, he said. One of the suspects, Mr Samaila Ali told newsmen that the devil had pushed him to commit the crime as it was not in his habit to rape women.
“I have a wife and three children and I have never done this kind of thing before. It is the devil that pushed me to do it,” he said.
Mallam Umar Mohammed, father of the girl, thanked the NSCDC for their prompt intervention in arresting the five suspects and expressed optimism that justice would be done.