NSCDC arrests 30-year- old for raping minor in Adamawa

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in Adamawa State, have arrested a 30- year- old man, Mohammed Babangida, for allegedly raping a nine-year-old girl.

There has been a rise in cases of rape in the state, a situation that spurred protests about two weeks ago.

Parading the suspect in Yola on Friday, the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Nuraddeen Abdullahi, said the suspect was arrested in Damare Ward in Yola town following intelligence report.

“The corps arrested one Mohammed Babangida 30-year -old, resident of Damare Ward Yola town..

“The suspect will be charged to court for prosecution through the intervention and advice by Director Public Prosecution State Ministry of Justice which we always partner with on capital offence that amounts to prosecutions,” the commandant said.

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Abdullahi urged the public to always report such rape cases to the command, adding that the command has a humanitarian and gender based violence unit to handle such cases.

He also raised concern over the notion in some quarters that NSCDC has no power to prosecute, pointing out that the amended Act that set up the corps had given it that power.

“Our Act, 2007 as amended section 3 (1) (f) (i) which reads ‘The corps shall have power to arrest with or without warrant, detain, investigate and institute legal proceeding by or in the name of Attorney-General of the Federation in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria against any person who is reasonably suspected to have committed an offense under this Act or is involve in any criminal activity’. ”

Confirming his involvement, the suspect Babangida expressed regret over his action and pleaded for leniency.

He confessed that it was his first time of doing it and would never do it again.

“I want to beg for forgiveness as a married man with children based in Bauchi; I don’t want this shameful thing to wreck my family,” the suspect said.

By Ibrahim Abdul’Aziz…

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