The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ogun State Command have arrested one Matthew Omotayo, male, 17 years and seven other suspected teenagers for alleged conspiracy, sexual abuse, unlawful sexual intercourse, exploitation and assault of a 14 year old girl (name withheld) at the Ijebu-Mushin, Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State on Friday, November 15th, 2024.
According to a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Dyke Ogbonnaya anipr, the eight suspects have allegedly contravened the Sections 32 and 33 of the Child Rights Law of Ogun State 2006 for allegedly assaulting and gang raping a minor while also filming same in a permanent form for possible blackmail.
The alleged suspects who claims to be students of St. Anthony Grammar School, Esure, Ijebu-Mushin, Ijebu East Local Government Area of the State took the said teenager without consent to a secluded room and had violent sexual intercourse with her and putting the same event in a video form.
The other remaining suspects include: Mojeeb Solomon, male, 16 years; Olamilekan Adefuye, male, 18 years; Damilola Ismail, male, 19 years; Emmanuel George, make, 17 years; Aborisade Paul Ayomide, male, 17 years; Paul Chukwuchebe, male, 19 years and Lateef Adeoye, male, 16 years respectively.
According to the narrative of the assaulted teenager, she was sexually abused the first time and was recorded and the alleged suspects threatened to upload the video on social media if she does not allow them have her again which she also consented to until her resolve to report the matter to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Divisional Office at Ijebu-Mushin, Ogun State.
In her narration, this step to report the matter was necessitated by several verbal and physical abuses and beatings by which the gang subjected her to including unmentionable names amongst others.
At first, two of the suspects were arrested while the arrested suspects led the Civil Defence Office to the trail and arrest of the remaining six suspects through intelligence and tactfulness of the divisional officers.
Furthermore, the assaulted teenager was made to undergo a medical procedure at the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) at the Olabisi Onabajo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Ogun State, after the mother of the assaulted teenager gave her consent for same.
After the preliminary investigations and other evidences and facts to the matter have been ascertained by the Ijebu-Mushin Divisional Headquarters, the divisional officer transferred the matter to the State Headquarters, Abeokuta.
The State Commandant, Commandant Remilekun Omolade Ekundayo, ordered immediate re-examination and thorough investigation of the matter by the intelligence department of the Command.
The results of the investigation culminated into the application for a remand order by the State Command’s legal officer through the magistrate court in Ijebu-Mushin, Ogun State.
Upon the presentation of the matter by the prosecution counsel with several evidences, the court ordered a 60 day remand of the eight suspects after which the directives of the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) 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 the 20th of January, 2025.
Commandant Ekundayo has noted that the Corps will not tolerate any act of abuse on the girl child either by their fellow teenagers, caregivers, guardians and/or parents.
She emphasised that anyone caught in such an indecent act would be dealt with decisively according to the dictates of the law.
