by ‘Jola Sotubo

An elderly indigene of Benue has been arrested by police after reports that he raped a child.

Alhaji Ganiyu Kolawole, 71, was picked up by police in Akure, the capital of Ondo after it was alleged that he raped a 7-year-old primary school pupil.

It was said that Kolawole, a night guard and farmer, was fond of raping children as he had been previously imprisoned for the same offence.

Vanguard reports:

Reports have it that the suspect lives alone in a dilapidated house on Mission Road, Ayetoro Street, Oba-Ile, Akure where he allegedly committed the act.

Vanguard gathered that the suspect, who is from BenueState, is being detained by the officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.

The victim, who attends St. Paul Annex Primary School, Oba-Ile was lured by the suspect into his room with biscuits.

Sources said the unsuspecting girl was returning from school, Tuesday, and said to be famished.

She was said to have crossed the road to drink water from a well along her route but when she discovered that the water was dirty she continued her journey home when the suspect beckoned on her.

The girl reportedly went to the suspect who was sitting in front of his house and was lured into the room where she was defiled.

Vanguard learnt that the Alhaji, who connived with another suspect now at large, asked the girl what she wanted and promised to give her not only cold water but biscuits.

While the girl was still trying to think of what the Alhaji had promised her, the accomplice reportedly pushed her inside the house while the Alhaji carried her covering her mouth with a piece of cloth when she started shouting.

It was gathered that after defiling the girl, the Alhaji cleaned her up as she was bleeding.

Confirming the arrest and detention of the suspect, the image maker of the NSCDC, Mr Kayode Balogun, said: “When Alhaji was interviewed, he said the girl approached him to buy her biscuits as she was hungry which he bought for her and denied raping the girl.”

He said during investigation, it was discovered that the suspect is a serial rapist who had been jailed for raping another girl in the community.

He said: “When officers of the corps went to the house of the accused for investigation, the residents of the area testified that the man was fond of raping children and had been jailed before for raping a girl in the area.

Balogun said after the matter was reported to the agency, the girl was taken to the general hospital where it was confirmed she had been defiled.

He said: “Investigation is still ongoing as the man is still in our custody and will be taken to court.”

Vanguard gathered that the girl, whose father died few years ago, lives with her mother in a one-room apartment in Oba-Ile area of the state capital