How 28-Year-Old Man Was Caught Defiling 2-Year-Old Girl In Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 28-year-old fashion designer identified only as Ituah, for allegedly raping a 2-year-old girl in the Oshodi area of the state.

PUNCH learned that the incident occurred last Sunday at about 5 PM inside Ituah’s shop in front of the victim’s house.

Reports also claimed that Ituah, who was later dragged to the Akinpelu Police Division, was caught by a neighbor while allegedly raping the victim. The neighbor reportedly alerted the girl’s mother.

The victim’s mother, identified only as Mrs. Ajibade, said she had left the toddler at the corridor of her apartment to use the toilet when the incident occurred.

“It was around 5pm on Sunday that the incident happened. We live in a ‘face-me-I-face-you ‘house. The suspect has a shop in front of our house.

I went to the toilet and returned without seeing my daughter in the corridor. I had left her in the corridor because I did not want her to play with electric sockets in the house.

When I came back, I could not find her. I did not know she was with the fashion designer. When my girl was brought from the shop, she just pointed to her private parts and cried, ‘Ituah, Ituah’.

That was how I examined her pants and discovered that she had been raped.

We were at the Mirabel Centre on Monday for a checkup. She is gradually responding to treatment.

The suspect’s family members are putting pressure on us. We do not want any case on the matter,” she said.

Meanwhile, the matter was brought to the attention of a non-governmental organisation in the area, Child Protection Network (CPN), and their involvement facilitated the suspect’s movement to the police station.

The CPN coordinator in the Oshodi area, Ebenezer Omejalile, said the suspect confessed to have inserted his fingers into the two-year-old’s private parts, but denied raping her.

”The suspect denied having an intercourse with the girl. He was the only one in the shop. He later told the girl’s mother that he only inserted his fingers into the girl’s private parts.

The shop is closed down as we speak. The suspect has been moved from the division to the command headquarters,” he said

Confirming the incident, SP Dolapo Badmos, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, said, “He (Ituah) is in custody at the gender unit of the command headquarters. Investigation is ongoing into the matter.”

Photo credit: Punch