A 27-year-old man, Damilola Orelaja, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly defiling a 14-year-old girl in the Omu Ijebu area of Ogun State.
The command’s spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the arrest to our correspondent via a WhatsApp message on Thursday.
According to her, the suspect allegedly lured the survivor into his apartment on Araromi Street, Ọmu-Ijebu, at around 8:00 pm on July 22, 2024, while the survivor was returning from errands.
The police spokesperson said the officers in the Omu division immediately swung into action after the survivor’s father, identified simply as Wasiu, reported the matter.
“The suspect was immediately arrested when the matter was brought to our attention on July 23. He will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for prosecution,” Odutola stated.
According to a PUNCH Online report, a police officer in Lagos was accused a few weeks ago of raping a 17-year-old girl inside a police station when she went there to file a report about her missing phone.
Due to the increasing number of gender-related crimes in the country, some civil society organizations have called for swift justice for survivors, while others have advocated for community involvement in addressing the issue.
During a recent interview with our correspondent, a co-founder and director of Action Health Incorporated, Dr Uwemedimo Esiet, said an “increase in public education and enlightenment” was needed to ensure that the communities “become custodians of the children and young people’s rights to life, association, education, and to just enjoy their fundamental human rights.”
