Suspect allegedly collected ₦503,000 ransom from victim’s father before abandoning her
The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 28-year-old school bus driver, Onome Lucky Ughagha, over the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of a 14-year-old female student in Sapele.
The Command’s spokesman, SP Bright Edafe, said in a statement on Sunday that the suspect allegedly demanded and collected ₦503,000 in ransom from the girl’s father.
According to the police, the victim’s father reported the matter at the Sapele Area Command on October 20, alleging that the suspect abducted his daughter as she prepared to leave for school. He said the suspect later called him, demanded the ransom and threatened to kill the girl if it was not paid.
The police said that after the money was paid, the victim was abandoned along Oton Road in Sapele, where she was reunited with her family. She was said to be traumatised and showed signs of sexual assault.
Following the report, operatives of the Sapele Area Command began investigations, and the victim was taken to a medical facility for examination and treatment. The school’s principal and vice principal were invited for questioning, as police intensified efforts to arrest the suspect, who had abandoned the school bus and fled.
Acting on credible intelligence, detectives traced Ughagha to his hideout in the Ajimele area of Sapele, where he was arrested on October 23. Edafe said the suspect reportedly confessed to the crime during preliminary interrogation.
Arrangements are being made to transfer him to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Asaba for further investigation.
The Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel E. Erale, condemned the incident and reiterated the Command’s commitment to protecting children from violence and exploitation. He assured the public that investigations would be thorough and that anyone found culpable would be brought to justice.
The CP also urged school authorities, parents and transport operators to be more vigilant in safeguarding children, stressing that the safety of every child entrusted to their care must remain paramount.
