An alleged serial rapist, Sunday Salami, has been nabbed by operatives of the Nigeria Police, Bariga Division in Lagos.
The alleged rapist, who had had several cases with the police in the past, was again apprehended after he allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl.
The incident was believed to have happened at 20, Falade Lane, Bariga, Lagos, where Salami allegedly defiled the minor under the pretense that he was beating the girl, whom he said had abused him earlier.
Our correspondent gathered that Salami, who allegedly defiled two minors last year, had lured the minors into an uncompleted building, where he raped them.
It was further gathered that Salami, who is a father of four, initially denied the incident but after the police operatives grilled him, he owned up.
A resident of the area, Omolola Akinwale, who spoke with our correspondent, said, “He is popularly called ‘Oshei’. He is fond of disturbing minors in the area. Last year, he was arrested for defiling two minors. He defiled this girl in an uncompleted building under the pretence that the girl abused him and he wanted to beat her. He deliberately chased her into the uncompleted building before raping her”.
Another resident, who simply mentioned his name as Saheed, said, “I don’t think the man’s case is ordinary one again. He needs to see pastors for spiritual cleansing. How will such a grown-up man be running after minors in the society? Is there no adult in this area if he was tired with his wife? I don’t have sympathy for him; he should pay for his sin”.
Speaking with our correspondent, the Shomolu Coordinator of Child Protection Network, Comrade Toyin Okanlawon, said he facilitated the suspect’s arrest, upon information received.
According to him, the rape incident was at the verge of being swept under the carpet by some elders in the community before the police arrived.
“When we got there, some residents and elders in the streets were begging and trying to reach a compromise between Salami and Iya Meta (the mother of the ictim), not to get the police involved in the matter.”
Meanwhile, Salami, while giving his side of the matter, said, “I didn’t have sex with her. On that day, I saw her standing in the compound. So I aimed to shoot her with catapult but she said I wouldn’t dare to shoot her. So I ran after her, till she ran inside the uncompleted building and I went back. When she came out later, I beat her with a broom.
The Divisional Police Officer, Bariga Police Station, CSP Ayobo Nathaniel Ijaola, who confirmed the incident, said the case had been transferred to the Gender Unit at the headquarters of the Lagos Police Command, for further investigation and prosecution of the suspect.