Eight youths have been detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps’ Ogun State Command for allegedly gang r@ping a 14-year-old girl in the state’s Ijebu-Mushin, Ijebu East Local Government Area.
In a statement released on Thursday, November 21, 2024, the command’s public relations officer, Dyke Ogbonnaya, named the accused as Matthew Omotayo, 17. Paul Chukwuchebe, 19, Damilola Ismail, 19, Emmanuel George, 17, Aborisade Ayomide, 17, Mojeeb Solomon, 16, Olamilekan Adefuye, 18, and 16-year-old Lateef Adeoye.
He said the girl was taken to a private room and r@ped by the suspects, who claimed to be pupils of St. Anthony Grammar School, Esure, Ijebu-Mushin, Ijebu East.
Ogbonnaya went on to say that the suspects also took a video of the conduct and used it again as a form of blackmail to prevent the victim from coming forward.
“The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ogun State Command Headquarters, Abeokuta, has arrested one Matthew Omotayo, male, 17 years and seven other suspected teenagers for alleged conspiracy, s€xual abuse, unlawful s€xual intercourse, exploitation and assault of a 14-year-old minor (name withheld) at the Ijebu-Mushin, Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State on Friday, November 15, 2024,” the statement read.
“The alleged suspects, who claimed to be students of St. Anthony Grammar School, Esure, Ijebu-Mushin, Ijebu East Local Government Area of the state, took the said minor without consent to a secluded room and had violent s€xual intercourse with her and putting the same event in a video form
“According to the narrative of the assaulted minor, she was s€xually abused the first time and was recorded and the alleged suspects threatened to upload the video on social media if she did not allow them to have her again which she also consented to until her resolved to report the matter to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Divisional Office at Ijebu-Mushin, Ogun State.”
However, the victim reported the incident after the accused reportedly beat and verbally abused her, according to the NSCDC PRO.
He went on to say that the teens were arrested as a result of the victim’s statement, and the victim was compelled to have a medical checkup.
Following an initial investigation, Ogbonnaya noted the command requested a remand order, which an Ijebu magistrate court approved.
“The results of the investigations culminated in the application for a remand order by the state command’s legal officer through the Magistrate Court in Ijebu-Mushin, Ogun State,” he stated.
“Upon the presentation of the matter by the prosecution counsel with several pieces of evidence, the court ordered a 60-day remand of the eight suspects after which the directives of the Department of Public Prosecutions on the matter should have been out.
“The Hon. Magistrate Sotayo granted the prayer of the civil defence legal officer to remand the suspects pending the outcome of the advice from the DPP, and he thereafter adjourned the matter to January 20, 2025.”
Remilekun Ekundayo, the commandant of the Ogun NSCDC, responded by emphasizing that the command would not stand for the mistreatment of children and that those who engage in such behavior would face consequences.
“Commandant Ekundayo has noted that the Corps will not tolerate any act of abuse on the girl child nor a minor either by teenagers, caregivers, guardians, and/or parents,” Ekundayo stated.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli
