A 17-year-old boy has been arrested by the Oyo State Police Command for allegedly defiling a three-year-old girl in Saki, Oyo.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Ayanlade Olayinka, disclosed this in a statement issued in Ibadan on Thursday, saying the child went missing while she was being retrieved from school on September 17, 2026.
According to the police, a distress report was lodged at the Saki Divisional Police Station at about 6:00 p.m. after the child could not be found.
The statement said a search operation mounted by the police subsequently led to the discovery of the child by the roadside in a distressed condition.
It added that preliminary inquiries revealed that the suspect had allegedly taken the child by force to his apartment, where the alleged sexual assault occurred.
“Prompted by this revelation, detectives swiftly visited and secured the scene of the crime, resulting in the immediate arrest of the suspect and the recovery of critical physical evidence linked to the offence,” the statement said.
Following her rescue, the victim was taken to a medical facility in Saki, where the police said she was receiving clinical treatment and psychotherapeutic care.
The command said it had activated investigations into the incident, while assuring that the identity and privacy of the child and her family would be protected in line with child protection laws and ethical guidelines.
The police further said the case had been transferred to the Gender Desk of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, Ibadan, for further investigation and prosecution.
The command reiterated its zero-tolerance stance against child abuse and sexual violence and assured that efforts would be made to ensure that justice was served.
Cc: Nigerian Tribune