The Police Command in Niger has detained a 26-year-old security guard, Godwin Dauda, over the alleged defilement and death of an 11-year-old girl in Suleja. The command's spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on Friday in Minna. According to Abiodun, the police received a missing-person report at the Suleja Police Division on Sept. 20, after the girl failed to return home from a relative's birthday ceremony.
The girl had left home on Sept. 19 to attend the birthday ceremony within the area. A pastor of the Apostolic Church, Suleja, later reported the discovery of a dead body inside a well on the church premises. Police officers and officials of the Suleja Local Government Council visited the scene and recovered the body, which was then taken to the Suleja General Hospital for identification.
The body was identified as that of the missing girl. Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect allegedly defiled the girl before disposing of her body in the well. The girl's body was found inside the well within the premises of the Apostolic Church in Suleja, where the suspect works as a security guard.
According to Abiodun, Dauda allegedly fled the area after the body was recovered in an attempt to evade arrest. He was subsequently arrested around Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory at about 8 p.m. on Sept. 23. The suspect allegedly confessed during interrogation to luring the girl into his security room at the church.
Dauda told investigators that he defiled the girl and that she subsequently died. He also allegedly told the police that he disposed of the girl's body in the church well in an attempt to conceal the crime. The suspect's actions have been met with shock and outrage in the community.
The spokesperson said investigation into the case is ongoing, adding that the suspect would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna. The transfer would facilitate further investigation and possible prosecution if the suspect is found culpable. The police are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the girl's death.
The case highlights the need for increased vigilance and protection for children in communities. The police have assured that they will do everything possible to ensure that justice is served in this case. The suspect's detention has brought some relief to the community, but many are still calling for more action to be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
Key points
- The suspect, Godwin Dauda, has been detained by the police for allegedly defiling and killing an 11-year-old girl in Suleja, Niger State.
- The police investigation revealed that Dauda confessed to luring the girl into his security room, defiling her, and disposing of her body in a well on the church premises.
- The suspect will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna, for further investigation and possible prosecution.
