Job Seeker Rapes 10-Year Old Girl To Death, Youths React As Mother Tells Police To Let Him Go

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested an unemployed
man, Ishau Arowolo, for allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl, Sofiatu Akilolu,
to death in Orisada-Eyo Community in the Yewa South Local Government Area of
the state.

Punch Metro learnt that 25-year-old Arowolo, after raping
the girl, allegedly caused her to drown. It was said that the suspect lurked in a bush near the
community river to perpetrate the act.

Their correspondent gathered that Sofiatu, who was a Basic
five pupil of the Local Government Authority Primary School, had been sent by
her parents to a river in the area to fetch water when she was attacked and
raped by Arowolo.

It was learnt that Sofiatu, at about 5pm on Wednesday, April
1, went to the stream in company with a friend, identified simply as Abibatu.
It was gathered that Arowolo snatched the victim and took her under a tree,
where he raped her.

A resident, who identified himself only as Jamiu, told Punch
Metro on Tuesday that Abibatu alerted the community that Sofiatu was being
raped in a bush.

He said, “The river is called Agude. It serves the
community. That was not the first time little girls would go to fetch water at
the place. On that day, the two girls met Ishau (Arowolo) and greeted him.

“Later, they observed he was coming behind them. Suddenly,
he grabbed Sofiatu and entered into a bush to carry out the act. The other girl
ran back to the community to tell us.

“When we got to the place, we did not find both of them,
except their clothes and shoes. We began to comb the forest, until someone
raised the alarm that Arowolo was hiding in the river. When we checked, he was
found and pulled out.

“Minutes later, we also found Sofiatu. He might have drowned
the girl after he raped her. She was unconscious, while blood was dripping from
her private parts.”

Our correspondent learnt that Sofiatu was taken out of the
river and rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was confirmed dead.

Angry youths, who learnt of the girl’s death, reportedly
beat up Arowolo, but they were said to have been prevented from lynching him by
elders.

The Baale of the community, Chief Adeogun Hussein, who spoke
in Yoruba, told our correspondent that such incident was strange in the area.

He said, “This occurrence is very strange in our area. It is
unfortunate that someone would conceive such evil. The river, where the rapist
hid, is very popular. We usually wash and bathe there. The river is also
believed to have power to cure sicknesses.

“The advice I have for parents is to take more care of their
children, and anyone found committing such tragic act should also be ready to
face terrible consequences.”

It was learnt that the matter was reported to the Owode
Police Division.

Efforts by Punch Metro to speak with Sofiatu’s parents were
not successful as of the time of the report, as they were said to have moved
out of the area.

Our correspondent gathered that Sofiatu was buried the
following day after the incident according to the Islamic rites.

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Muyiwa
Adejobi, confirmed the incident. He added that the police had charged the
suspect to court.

He said, “The suspect has been transferred from Owode to the
state police headquarters, Eleweran. We have also charged him to court.

“But the mother of the victim has come to the police to say
she is no longer interested in pursuing the matter. We are going to minute her
stand to the Commissioner of Police to await further directives.”