By Ummi Ismaeel, Minna
Police opeartives in Kafin-koro, Paikoro Local Government Area, Niger State have arrested a 40-year-old man, Festus Okeke, for allegedly having unlawful carnal knowledge of two minors and engaging in gross indecency with two others.
Okeke is said to have lured the four girls at separate times into his shop located at Ishau village during and after Easter celebration where he allegedly raped two of them, while at other time used his finger to fiddle the private parts of the other two girls aged 10 and 13, respectively.
The suspect, who had been prosecuted at the Chief Magistrate Court 1 in Minna for similar offence in the past, was later let off the hook under ‘questionable circumstances’.
Parading the suspect before newsmen at the Police headquarters, Dutsen Kura-Gwari, Minna, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Wasiu Abiodun, said that Festus was reported to the police in Paikoro by the community after the girls reported their encounter with him to their parents.
The PPRO, who told journalists on Wednesday that the case of Festus abusing minors where he resides and doing business in Paikoror was under investigations, hinted that the suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigation was concluded.
Meanwhile, at the Niger state Police headquarters in Minna, Okeke confessed that he gave the girls loaves of bread and N200 to use for the Easter celebration.
The suspect, a father of four who is now showing remorse for his actions and asking for forgiveness, however, blamed the devil for his woes, adding that he made a mistake having carnal knowledge of the girls and regretting every bit of his actions.