A 45-year-old man, Samuel Ukpa, has been arrested by the operatives of the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old neighbour’s daughter.
Ukpa, who lives in the same house with the parents of the victim at 39 Oluwadare Street, Fola Agoro, Shomolu, Lagos, was allegedly caught with the minor in the common bathroom after he had lured the girl with some money.
We all wonder if the man is mentally deranged. He has been accused several times of defiling many children in this area
Our correspondent gathered that the suspect, whose occupation could not be ascertained, had allegedly been involved in series of child defilement cases in the area for some time.
He was said to have ensured that the minor’s parents were not at home before he lured her into the alleged act.
A neighbour was said to have rescued the girl from the suspect.
According to a resident of the area, Ukpa, who had ensured that the minor was alone in the backyard doing the household chores given to her by her mother, had lured her into the bathroom.
A resident, Kazeem Olatunde, said, “We all wonder if the man is mentally deranged. He has been accused several times of defiling many children in this area. As a matter of fact, many parents don’t like their children getting close to him because they don’t know what may befall them. This man was caught with this little girl inside one of the bathrooms in the house defiling her.
“The girl was at the backyard of the house, washing sacks when this evil man lured her into the bathroom and started having carnal knowledge of her. It was a neighbour in the other bathroom who heard unusual noise from the bathroom that raised the alarm, when she peeped and saw what the man was doing to the young girl.”
The eye witness, who simply identified herself as Lola, said, “I was surprised to see this girl being defiled in the bathroom. When I peeped to see what was happening, I realised it was Ukpa that was defiling her. He lured her into the bathroom through the drainage channel of the toilet to the bathroom. Immediately I saw them, I raised the alarm. And that was how other residents were alerted to this crime.”
Sources also said the ugly situation, which led to some noise from neighbours in the house, attracted the operatives of Alade Police Division, Shomolu, who were on patrol in the area.
After they had been briefed about the situation, the police operatives rescued and arrested the suspect, who was about to be lynched by some area boys.
He was later transferred to the Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja for necessary action and prosecution.
Meanwhile, the Child Protection Network Coordinator for Shomolu, Toyin Okanlawon, said that the suspect was a serial rapist, who had been luring and defiling little girls in the community over the years.
“The man needs to be thoroughly dealt with. He has been defiling children in that area for years. He had become notorious for various allegations bearing on child defilement. I think this should be his last attempt,” Okanlawon said.
She added that investigation had revealed that some residents had in the past seen the victim and Ukpa in different secluded places in the community, enticing her with some goodies.
The mother of the victim, who is a petty trader in a tertiary institution, said she had always left home as early as 5am and returned late everyday to fend for the family, but due to the ongoing strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, which compelled her to stay at home, she had come to realise what her daughter had been going through whenever she left her alone in the house.
It was also gathered that the victim, who was immediately referred to Mirabel Centre at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, had been treated as appropriate.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that the victim’s mother was not willing to press charges against the accused, for reasons best known to her.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of the Child Protection Network and the police have taken up the case.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, who confirmed the incident, said, “The suspect will soon be made to face the court of law over his criminality.”
However, a member of the CPN, who pleaded anonymity, said that the suspect would appear before Ikeja Magistrate court on October 12.
