A 40-year-old man, Usman Mohammed, has been arrested by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Gombe State Command, for luring no fewer than 12 children whose ages range from five to 10 years old.

Mohammed, who is a resident of Liji in Yalmatu Deba Local Government Area of the state, allegedly specialised in having carnal knowledge of minors.

He told journalists when he was paraded at the NSCDC state headquarters on Tuesday that he was introduced to same-sex intercourse by his Islamic teacher as an 18-year-old Almajiri student in Kano.

The father of three said he regretted his actions while pleading for forgiveness from relevant authorities.

“I learnt homosexuality from my almajiri scholar around Brigade at the age of 18 years in Kano State. I am regretting my action and I am pleading for forgiveness,” he said.

Parading him and other suspects, the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Waziri Goni, said upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime, adding that he disclosed that he was introduced to homosexuality to become rich.

Goni noted that out of the 12 boys allegedly sodomised, one is currently at large, while the rest are available.

“Unfortunately, he has not become rich. How can God bless such efforts of someone taking advantage of young boys? He has three children and a wife but prides himself in raping children in an attempt to get rich, he has remained a nail cutter,” Goni said.

Goni, while lamenting the rate of sexual violations, urged parents to take responsibility for their children, adding that, “nobody can take care of your children better than you. Parents must desist from handing their responsibility to outsiders. (The PUNCH)