Arabic teacher, accomplice held over rape of 15-year-old girl

Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested an Arabic teacher, Ismaila Saheed, and Toliha Sabith for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl.

The police apprehended Saheed, 38, and 20-year-old Sabith following a report by the victim, who reported the alleged assault on her at the Redeemed Camp police station.

A statement the Ogun State police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, issued on Monday quoted the girl as reporting that Sabith forcefully had carnal knowledge of her on August 25, 2020 at the Imedu-Nla area of Mowe, Ogun State.

The complainant was also quoted as further saying she took the matter to Saheed to lay a complaint against Sabith, but the Arabic teacher also allegedly took advantage of her situation by also raping her.

Oyeyemi said, “She went to her Arabic and Islamic teacher to inform him. Having listened to her ordeal, the Arabic teacher, Ismaila Saheed, told her that she might have got pregnant as a result of the incident and he offered to help her remove the said pregnancy.

“But, surprisingly, instead of removing the imaginary pregnancy, he took the advantage to also have carnal knowledge of her, after which he inserted a sharp object into her private part causing her a serious vaginal injury,” Oyeyemi stated.

He added that following receipt of the girl’s report, the Divisional Police Officer, Redeemed Camp division, Superintendent Bala Yakubu, detailed his detectives to go after the two suspects, who were both arrested on August 28, 2020.

“They have confessed to the commission of the crime. The victim is currently admitted in a hospital for proper medical attention,” he said.

The police spokesman said the Commissioner of Police, Edward A. Ajogun, described the suspects as “animals in human skin” and ordered transfer of the matter to the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Labour Unit of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation.

“The Commissioner of Police appeals to parents to be concerned always about the well-being of their children, especially the female ones, in order not to make them easy prey for those predators in human skin,” Oyeyemi stated.