Eight teenagers have been arrested and remanded in custody for allegedly gang-raping and filming a 14-year-old girl in Nigeria’s Ogun State, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) announced Thursday, revealing disturbing details of a case that has shocked the local community.
The suspects, aged 16 to 19, allegedly lured their victim to a secluded room in the Ijebu-Mushin area on November 15, where they sexually assaulted her and recorded the attack, according to NSCDC spokesperson Dyke Ogbonnaya. The perpetrators then reportedly used the recording to blackmail the victim into submitting to additional assaults.
“The suspects threatened to upload the video on social media if she did not allow them to have her again,” Ogbonnaya said in a detailed statement. The victim finally reported the abuse to authorities after enduring physical beatings and verbal assaults from her attackers.
The accused include Mathew Omotayo, 17; Mojeeb Solomon, 16; Olamilekan Adefuye, 18; Damilola Ismail, 19; Emmanuel George, 17; Aborisade Paul Ayomide, 17; Paul Chukwuchebe, 19; and Lateef Adeoye, 16. All claim to be students at St. Anthony Grammar School in Esure, Ijebu-Mushin.
Following preliminary investigations and medical examination of the victim, prosecutors secured a 60-day remand order from a magistrate court in Ijebu. Magistrate Sotayo granted the order pending advice from the Department of Public Prosecutions, with the next hearing scheduled for January 20, 2025.
Ogun State NSCDC Commandant Remilekun Ekundayo emphasized the agency’s zero-tolerance stance toward abuse of minors. “The Corps will not tolerate any act of abuse on the girl child nor a minor either by teenagers, caregivers, guardians, and/or parents,” Ekundayo stated, promising decisive action against perpetrators.
PUNCHNG.COM