Police arrest 55-year-old man for ‘raping’ 11-year-old girl in Gombe

A 55-year-old man identified as Bappah Bolari has been arrested for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl in Gombe state.

In a statement on Thursday, Mahid Abubakar, police spokesperson in the state,  said the suspect carried out the act at Malam Sidi, Kwami LGA.

Abubakar said the case was reported to the police by one Sadiya Wada, mother of the girl, on October 20.

He said the suspect lured the girl to a maternity building in the village and sexually abused her.

“On 22/10/2023 a formal complaint was received from one Sadiya Wada F of Malam Sidi, Kwami LGA, Gombe State that on 20/10/2023 at about 0930hrs, one Bappah Bolari M 55yrs of the same address, took her 11yr old daughter behind maternity building Malam Sidi and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her without her consent,” the statement reads.

“The case is under investigation and will soon be charged to court upon the completion of the investigation.”

In a related development, Donald Joseph,  an 18-year-old boy, has been arrested for raping a girl in Wili village, Kaltungo LGA of Gombe.

“Donald Joseph aged 18 years, Male of Wili Village, Kaltungo LGA, on October 21, 2023, at about 7:30 pm, Danjuma Jauro reported that on the same date, at about 0700hrs the suspect while escorting his daughter to his house took advantage and lured her to an uncompleted building, where he undressed her, and had sexual intercourse with her,” he said.

“Both the victim and the suspect have been taken to the hospital for medical examination. The suspect has confessed to the crime and will soon be charged to court for prosecution.”

The police spokesperson said another 18-year-old boy was nabbed for allegedly killing one Aishatu Abdullahi, in Jeka-Fari quarters.

He said the suspect murdered the woman when he went to retrieve his spanner seized by the victim.

The boy reportedly attacked the victim with a knife after she returned from the neighbour’s house to find the boy in her room.

“On October 20, 2023, at about 10:00 pm, a formal complaint was received at Pantami Division from one Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, a male aged 45, of Jeka da Fari quarters Gombe and reported that his mother, Aishatu Abdullahi, was slaughtered with a knife by an unknown person around 0930hrs,” he added.

“Upon receipt of the complaint, police operatives attached to Pantami division immediately responded and went to the scene where Aishatu Abdullahi was found in a pool of blood, and was immediately rushed to the hospital but was certified dead by a medical doctor at the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe.

“The suspect mentioned that Aishatu returned from the neighbours, found him in her room, and questioned him. He refused to leave, resulting in him attacking her, strangling her, and killing her with a knife.”

He said the suspect escaped through the toilet to an unknown destination, adding that he left a stained shirt and knife behind but went away with the scanner which was later recovered from him.