Iwas given a charm from one man in Maiduguri, Borno State. The man said I should rub it on any girl aged 10 and 11 years and then sleep with her, after which I will have a lot of wealth’’, confessed Mohammed Baba Mohammed, an Electrical Engineer who was caught defiling an 11-year- old girl in her father’s house in Kaduna recently.
It was an unbelievable but true story of a 46-year-old man who was apprehended by the Badarawa/ Malali Concerned Forum also known as ‘Ojimeme’ for having carnal knowledge of a minor for the purpose of wealth.
The alarm was raised last week when the victim’s sister walked in on her worst nightmare-a man, Mohammed, who had just forced himself on her sister, Larai (not victim’s real name), raping her in their father’s house on Festac road in Malali.
Larai, who narrated her experience to LEADERSHIP Friday at the Badarawa/Malali Concerned Forum’s office, where the suspect was being held to be handed over to the police, said the suspect had forcefully slept with her more than three times in different places .
She said the suspect had always warned her not to ever reveal what was happening between them to any person, adding that the suspect would always give her N50 (Fifty Naira) after sleeping with her.
The suspect, who is married with a child, confessed to committing the crime, adding, however, that he regrets his actions. He further confessed that he was given a charm by an herbalist in Maiduguri for wealth purposes upon sleeping with a minor.
People’s quest for power, wealth and other material possessions are on the increase regardless of what it takes to get it. This perhaps explains why people like Mohammed can go to any length and do whatever it takes to get what they want. How far some persons can go is unimaginable and often inhuman. A situation when a full grown, married man decides to have intercourse with girls of between 8-11 years, who could be regarded as his daughter or grand-daughter, is something that should be everyone’s concern and calls for adequate attention.
Usman Adamu, the girl’s father, who reported the case and insisted that justice be done on behalf of his daughter also narrated emotionally how the suspect was caught in his room defiling his daughter.
‘’I was in Kawo when my older daughter called me to inform me of what she witnessed. When I got home, she told me what happened. She said she came home and met the door locked from outside; she had to knock several times before the door was opened only to find the man with her sister.
‘‘Upon interrogation, her younger sister (the victim) confessed that the man forcefully slept with her. That was when I reported to the Badarawa/Malali Concerned Forum, who thereafter went after the suspect and apprehended him.
‘‘The man has defiled my daughter and I will not want him to go free of this atrocity- he should be severely punished, ’’ the victim’s father stressed.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Badarawa/Malali concerned Forum, Mohammed Adamu Lema condemned the act and promised to hand over the suspect to the police and follow the case to its logical conclusion.
In a related development, another man, 30, was equally arrested for raping three minors who were within the age range of seven and eight years. Again, this happened in Badarawa.
The man, identified as Shaffiu Bello, works as a carpenter and is married with two children. He lives in Kareye Badarawa where he committed the atrocity.
The three minors (names withheld) confessed that the man had been having carnal knowledge with them over a period of time and threatened to kill them if they ever revealed the secret.
One of the victims was forced to open up to her mother when she was unable to pass urine following severe pains from her private part.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP Friday at the Primary Health Centre, Badarawa welfare clinic where the minors were brought to run some tests on them in case of any infection, the three girls disclosed that the man normally lured them into a room with N5 or N10 and always threatened to beat them mercilessly and kill them if they ever revealed the secret or told anybody.
According to the girls, it was due to the threat that they were afraid to speak out until one of them opened up following the pains she was having in her private part.
The parents of one of the girls, Hamisu Bala’’ who spoke to LEADERSHIP Friday at the hospital said, “when we confronted the suspect, he confessed to the crime and pleaded for mercy but he has already inflicted injuries on the girls, so we want justice on the matter to serve as a deterrent to others with similar attitudes.”
‘’Parents should be careful and watchful over their wards to avoid cases such as this’’
The mothers of the three girls who were in the hospital opted not to speak but concurred with the position of one of the fathers- that is, to seek justice for their kids who have been defiled.
Mallam Mohammed Adamu of the Badarawa/Malali Concerned Forum who arrested the suspect said, the case was reported to their office after which they effected the arrest of the suspect and handed him over to the police to avoid crisis in the area.
“The objective of our forum is to ensure that law and order is maintained within our area and whoever is found wanting in that regard is always handed over to the law enforcement agencies” he said.
When the Kaduna State Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) Abubakar Zubairu was contacted on the recurring rape cases in the area, he confirmed knowledge and informed that some of the suspects are in their custody and will be charged to court for appropriate prosecution. He added that the police is not leaving any stone unturned to rid the area of miscreants who engage in such inhuman acts in the area.
The situation became more pathetic when after series of tests were run on the minors, who are presently in primary 1 and 2, it was confirmed that two of the girls were infected with Hepatitis, a situation that the parents have vowed to follow up until justice is done on behalf of their children.
After this suspect was interrogated, his confession led to the arrest of another four of their members who also ‘specialise’ in raping minors in the area.
Considering, therefore, the alarming rate of minors falling victims of rape in the area, it has therefore become imperative that parents must keep an eye on their children to avoid being raped while the security agencies will equally have to engage in more proactive measures that will address the menace as a matter of urgency.
Credits: Leadership
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