62-Year-Old Man Allegedly Defiled 6-Year-Old Girl in Niger State, Claims Influence of Alcohol

Police operatives in Niger State have apprehended Adamu Danga Rijau, a 62-year-old man, for allegedly raping a 6-year-old girl at a cemetery in Minna, the capital city of the state. According to a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, the suspect was nabbed following an alert raised by an eyewitness.

The statement disclosed that on January 30, 2024, around 9:00 PM, the Bosso Division received information about the incident. It was reported that earlier that day at approximately 6:00 PM, Adamu Danga Rijau, residing in the Bosso Lowcost area of Minna, was spotted at the Numui cemetery without his trousers, allegedly assaulting a minor girl aged about 6 years old. Upon being discovered, the suspect fled from the scene.

Before the Police Division could respond to the scene, it was reported that a witness had raised an alarm. Consequently, the suspect was pursued and apprehended by a mob. He was swiftly taken to the Bosso Division where a preliminary investigation took place, and subsequently, the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna.

During interrogation, the suspect admitted to luring the victim to the cemetery area when she was sent on an errand by her mother. He further confessed to defiling the minor girl, attributing his actions to intoxication. The suspect claimed that he had consumed a quantity of palm wine that he purchased on his way home from the farm and was under its influence at the time of the incident.

Meanwhile, the victim underwent a medical examination at the Police clinic. The case remains under investigation, and the suspect will be arraigned in court for prosecution immediately after the conclusion of the investigation processes,” the statement concludes.