Operatives of the Gombe State Police Command, Friday, paraded a 13-year-old suspect over the rape of an eight-year-old girl in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.

The police also paraded 18-year-old Usman Husseini and 45-year-old Mohammed Yaya for allegedly defiling their victims on different occasions.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Buhari Abdullahi, during a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Gombe, the 13-year-old suspect was said to have dragged the victim to a lonely path where he had his way.

He said, “On 24th May 2024, a formal complaint was received at Akko Division that on the 22nd May 2024, the suspect dragged an eight-year-old girl to a corner and had canal knowledge of her.

“On the 26th May 2024, a formal complaint was received from one Musa Saleh of Hammadu-kafi quarters Gombe that Husseini carried his daughter aged 4 to a corner near his house and put his finger inside her private part.

“On receipt of the complaint, detectives from Pantami Division rushed to the scene and arrested the said suspect and took both the suspect and victim to Specialist for medical examination. The case is still under investigation and will be charged to court upon the completion of investigations.

Abdullahi said Yaya from Tumu Akko Local Government Area of Gombe allegedly defiled a 10-year-old girl after offering her N100 and N50 on two different occasions. 
He said, “On the 27th of May 2024 the suspect lured a 10-year-old girl into his house and had canal knowledge with her. Upon preliminary investigation, the suspect confessed to having carried out the act on two separate occasions. He disclosed that he gave her 100 and 50 naira respectively. The case is under investigation and will soon be charged to court for prosecution.”

Commenting on the implementation of the Child Protection policy in the state, Abdullahi said “Issue of rape has serious attention of the government. The Department of Public Prosecutions is taking it up on itself to tackle rape and other forms of abuses.”