The police in Ekiti State have arrested a teenager, Olanrewaju Seun, for allegedly defiling a three-year-old girl in the Iyana Emirin area, Poly Road, Ado Ekiti.

The state Commissioner of Police, Tunde Mobayo, who was represented by the Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, during a press briefing on Tuesday, said the 18-year-old was arrested on September 21.

He said, “Investigation revealed that the suspect lured the victim into his room where he had carnal knowledge of her.

“Further investigation revealed that when the grandmother of the victim heard about the incident, she demanded the sum of N50,000 from the parents of the suspect for an amicable settlement of the case.

“The money was paid to her and she converted it to her personal use. She was also arrested and will be charged to court alongside the suspect for compounding felony and defilement, respectively.”

Mobayo also said the command arrested a four-man gang that allegedly specialised in abducting lodgers in a hotel in Isan Ekiti, in the Oye council area of the state.

He noted that the suspects, Abu Tobi, Falodun Ojo, Ogundele Tope and Adams Saheed, were arrested after they abducted two lodgers — Oyetuyi Taiwo and Ibitoyi Pelumi — in Soludero Hotel, Isan-Ekiti.

The gunmen were said to have demanded N20m from the victims’ families shortly after they were abducted.

The police boss said, “It was gathered that on September 18, Tobi, Ojo and Tope left Ayede-Ekiti on an unregistered Boxer Bajaj motorcycle, arrived at Isan-Ekiti around 3.30pm and settled at a drinking joint in Isan-Ekiti very close to Soludero Hotel where their targets were lodging.

“The three suspects also invited one Saheed to join them before carrying out their plan. Around 8.30pm of the same day, the suspects moved into the hotel and abducted the two victims after which they started demanding a ransom of N20m.

“Thorough investigation led to the arrest of Tobi and Ojo and the subsequent arrest of Tope and Saheed. One unregistered Bajaj Boxer motorcycle was recovered from the suspects.”

Mobayo also said operatives of the Rapid Response Squad nabbed another suspect, Usman Hassan, on September 19, following the abduction of two victims along Ayebode-Odo Ayedun Ekiti by a gang of kidnappers that day.

The police commissioner said one Ayodeji Ojo was also arrested for the alleged rape of a lady on September 24 along Federal Housing Road, Ado Ekiti.

According to him, the suspect tore the victim’s jean skirts and pants and forcibly had carnal knowledge of her, adding that intensified effort by the police led to his arrest and confessional statement to the commission of the crime.

(The PUNCH: Excluding headline)

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