A 24-year-old man, Usman Mohammed Iyal, has confessed to  Police personnel  how he raped a 16-year-old girl and threw her into a well at Ambassadors Quarters, Katsina State.

In his confessional statement, the suspect said his action was to save his identity. Iyal stated, “Because I didn’t want her to expose me.”

He made the confession during his parade alongside that of other suspects at the Katsina State Police Command headquarters before newsmen on Tuesday evening.

The suspect’s brutal actions were thwarted when the police launched a swift investigation and rescue operation aimed at saving the victim from the well unharmed. 

Arewa PUNCH gathered that the incident occurred on September 27, 2024, when the victim was sent on an errand by her mother.

According to the state Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Abubakar Sadiq, the suspect, armed with a knife, accosted and threatened the victim, then dragged her into an uncompleted building where he violently assaulted and raped her.

“On September 27th, 2024, at about 1216hrs, the Katsina State Police Command succeeded in arresting a suspected rapist for the brutal assault and attempted murder of a 16-year-old girl in Ambassadors Quarters, Katsina.

“The victim was sent on an errand by her mother when the suspect, one Usman Mohammed Iyal, male, age 24, of Ambassadors quarters, armed with a knife, accosted, threatened, and dragged her into an uncompleted building where he then violently assaulted and raped the victim.

“In a desperate bid to conceal his crime, the suspect threw the victim into a nearby well and hurled stones down the well, with intent to kill the victim.

“Upon the victim’s disappearance, her father, Abdullahi Sabitu, m, reported the incident at the GRA Divisional Police Headquarters, leading to our swift action. An investigation was immediately launched, and successfully, we rescued the victim from the well, and we arrested the suspect.’’

 The victim is currently receiving medical attention,” according to Sadiq.

“Similarly, on September 19, 2024, at about 2000 hours, the command arrested Binta Muhammed, age 35, of Lungun Loma quarters, Dutsinma LGA, Katsina State, in connection with a suspected case of cruelty to a child.”

ASP Abubakar Sadiq said “a report was received at the Dutsinma d

Divisional Police Headquarters through one Halima Aliyu of the International Human Rights Commission, Dutsinma Zone, that on the same date, while discharging their duties in the area, they received information that the suspect illegally tied and locked up a two-year-old boy in a room in a cruel manner.

“Upon receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer mobilised a team of detectives to the said address, where a search was conducted. The victim, one Abdulmajid Shafi’u, male, age 2, was found hanging on a wall inside a room, tied with a wrapper. He was quickly rescued and rushed to the hospital, where he is receiving medical attention, and subsequently, the suspect was traced and arrested.

“During the investigation, the suspect confessed to the commission of the offence and would soon be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.

“On 25th September, 2024, at about 0545hrs, the command succeeded in arresting the trio of one Sabi’u Hassan, male, age 34, Isiya Salisu, mald, age 30, and one Aliyu Haruna, male, age 20, all of Kofar Durbi Quarters, Katsina, in connection with a suspected case of vandalism and theft.

“While on routine patrol, a team of police operatives, in collaboration with members of the vigilante, intercepted the syndicate around Kofar Durbi quarters, in possession of some quantity of electric armored cable, a sharp pointed iron bar, and a hacksaw reasonably suspected to have been stolen.

“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to the commission of the offence and further mentioned four other suspects now at large as their accomplices.

“Efforts are being intensified to ensure the arrest of the fleeing suspects as the investigation proceeds,” Sadiq disclosed further.

Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, has said that the worsening economic situation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration is fuelling mental health cases, among other factors.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, stated this in his message as Nigeria joined the global community on Thursday to commemorate this year’s World Mental Health Day.

In a post on his X handle, the LP presidential candidate in the 2023 general election said mental health remains one of the critical health issues not given the due attention it deserves in Nigeria.

He lamented that suicide cases in the country, fuelled by anxiety and depression, had remained on the rise.

“In Nigeria, mental health remains one of the critical health issues not given the due attention it deserves.

“The worsening economic situation resulting from hunger, poverty, and income inequalities in the country, coupled with other socio-political issues affecting the nation, have continued to fuel a growing menace of mental health cases.

“The National Institute of Health reports that about 40 to 60 million Nigerians suffer various forms of mental ailment,” Obi said.

United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, said that 75 per cent of new HIV infections among adolescents globally occurred in girls.

Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of UNICEF Field Office for South West Nigeria disclosed this in a statement to newsmen to mark the 2024 International Day of the Girl.

Lafoucriere, who described the theme of this year, “Girls’ Vision for the Future,” as apt, noted that it reflected the findings from a UNICEF analysis, which showed that girls are not only courageous in the face of challenges but hopeful for the future.

She opined that the number of adolescent girls (one in four) is almost double the number of boys who are not in any form of education, employment, or training.

She also added that one in five young women aged between 20 and 24 years today were married as children, while nearly one in four partnered/married adolescent girls have experienced sexual or physical abuse.

The chief of UNICEF’s Field Office for South West Nigeria, however, noted that girls were seen taking action every day to realise the vision of a world where all girls are protected, respected, and empowered.

“As you well know, October 11 is a key global moment to celebrate girls and amplify their voices, actions, and leadership. The day also belongs to everyone who cares about girls and taking action to advocate for the full spectrum of girls’ rights.

“My response is that being a girl shouldn’t determine what you can do, where you can go, or who you can become. But right now, that is the reality for millions of girls across the world.

“Too many are being left behind, confronted by extreme challenges that deny them their rights, restrict their choices, and limit their futures.

“However, girls alone cannot bring about the desired change. They need allies who listen to and respond to their needs like you and me. Together, we can build a future in which every girl’s rights are protected,” she said.

Lafoucriere further opined that evidence had shown that with the right support, resources, and opportunities, the potential of girls around the world is limitless.

She stated that when girls achieve their goals, “we all move closer to achieving our global goals.”

On hursday, a bill to amend the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Act, 2007, and establish the FRSC Special Armed Squad passed a second reading at the House of Representatives.

If passed into law, the bill will allow the officers to carry firearms to perform their duties.

The bill, jointly sponsored by Abiodun Adesida and Olaide Muhammed of the All Progressives Congress Ondo and Oyo states, respectively, was unanimously supported by other lawmakers after a voice vote before being passed for a second reading.

According to the proposed bill, FRSC officers on the rank of deputy corp marshal will enjoy benefits attached to the rank, including retirement benefits.

The bill will also allow the officers to be solely responsible for traffic administration and safety management, preventing and minimising road traffic crashes on roads, supervising road users and regulating traffic.

They will also be empowered to clear obstructions and educate motorists and other members of the public on the proper use of the roads.

In another motion by Garba Ibrahim Muhammad, the House urged the FRSC to adopt technologically assisted enforcement, such as automatic vehicle local and automated traffic enforcement systems, advanced analytics and data platforms, amongst others, to carry out their operations.

The lawmakers adopted the motion and referred it to the House Committee on FRSC.