The command’s spokesperson, CSP Nafiu Habib, disclosed in a statement on Thursday that the case was reported to the Toro Divisional Police Headquarters on May 8 by the victim’s father, aged 47, who alleged that his daughter was lured into a hideout by Garba the previous day at around 4pm.
Habib said detectives attached to the division swiftly arrested the suspect following the complaint, adding that Garba voluntarily confessed to the offence during interrogation and admitted to committing similar acts against the victim on several previous occasions at different locations.
Both the victim and the suspect were subsequently taken to General Hospital, Toro, for medical examination and treatment, the spokesperson said.
Habib further disclosed that during the course of investigation, the victim alleged that a second suspect, identified only as Nafi’u, whose surname is yet to be established was involved in a separate incident concerning her and remains at large.
The arrested suspect has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Bauchi for further investigation and prosecution, with efforts ongoing to apprehend the fleeing accomplice, he said.
The Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, condemned the act and reaffirmed the command’s zero-tolerance stance on crimes against children and sexual and gender-based violence.
He urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies, assuring the public that justice would be pursued in line with due process.
In a related development, operatives of the Special Area Rumudomaya Police attached to the Rivers State Police Command earlier arrested a man identified as Good news for allegedly defiling his neighbour’s 16-year-old daughter.
The incident occurred on May 4, when the suspect reportedly tricked the teenager into his apartment under the guise of sending her on an errand.
