Date: 2021-04-06

Four teenagers have been arrested by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps over the alleged rape and murder of a Fulani woman in Esie, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The victim, whose name was given as Aishat Sanni, was allegedly raped to death on Friday, April 2, 2021 at a farm in Esie by one of the suspects identified as Sodiq Adams, 19.

Other suspects arrested with Adams, according to the Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, Kwara State Command, Babawale Afolabi, are Rasaq Rasheed, 16; Lukman Quadri, 15; and Billiaminu Qayum, 16.

The NSCDC revealed that the suspects allegedly said they caught two Fulani women on a farm in the community stealing cashew nuts, but one of them escaped, while the other was arrested.

Investigation revealed that Adams, who is the principal suspect, in order to have carnal knowledge of the victim, directed the three others to give the other woman, who escaped, a hot chase while he carried out his nefarious action.

It was gathered that while Adams was trying to rape the woman, she bit him in the hand and inflicted other injuries on him, while her neck beads also scattered at the scene of the crime.

The NSCDC said in a statement that the deceased was reported missing on April 2, 2021 by one Alhaji Musa Waziri, Secretary of the Fulani and Bororo at the Esie/Ijan outpost of the corps, adding that her body was later discovered on April 3, 2021 in the bush around 8.30am half naked and with cuts all over her body.

The statement said, "Three out of the suspects namely; Rasaq Rasheed, Lukman Quadri and Biliaminu Qoyum, confirmed in their statements that the prime suspect, Sodiq Adams, arrested a Bororo woman for allegedly stealing cashew nuts but she later escaped.

"Investigation revealed that Sodiq Adam's convinced the other three suspects to run after the second Bororo woman, who ran away, so that he could have carnal knowledge of the one arrested.

"In the process of trying to rape the deceased, he was bitten in the left arm and bruises were inflicted on his neck by the late Aishat.

"Investigation further revealed that the other victim, who escaped, when asked about the whereabouts of the deceased, confirmed that she was captured by the prime suspect, Sodiq Adams.

The NSCDC said the case was later transferred to the homicide section of the Nigeria Police adding, "On getting to the scene of the crime with the prime suspect, some facts emerged;. "The place where the late Aishat sanni was killed was in full of her neck beads; and the clothes that Sodiq Adams wore were still with blood."

Babawale Afolabi, who said that the case had been transferred to the police said the command would carry out the prosecution of the suspects.