A 28-year-old school bus driver, Onome Ughagha, has been apprehended by the Delta State Police Command for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old female student in Sapele.
According to police spokesperson SP Bright Edafe, Ughagha was arrested after reportedly demanding and collecting a ransom of N503,000 from the victim’s father.
The incident was first reported to the Sapele Area Command on Tuesday, when the girl’s father alleged that his daughter had been abducted while preparing to leave for school.
The suspect later contacted the father, issued threats to kill the minor unless the ransom was paid, and eventually abandoned the girl along Oton Road, Sapele, after the payment was made.
She was reunited with her family in a traumatized state, with signs of sexual assault.
Upon receiving the report, police operatives launched an immediate investigation and took the victim for medical examination and treatment.
The school principal and vice-principal were also invited for questioning, while authorities intensified efforts to locate the suspect, who had abandoned the school bus and fled the scene.
Acting on credible intelligence, officers tracked the suspect to his hideout in the Ajimele area of Sapele, where he was arrested on Friday. During preliminary questioning, Ughagha reportedly confessed to the crime.
The suspect is set to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Asaba for further investigation.
Meanwhile, Delta State Commissioner of Police Samuel Erale has strongly condemned the incident, reaffirming the command’s commitment to protecting children from violence and exploitation. He assured that the investigation would be thorough and that all those found culpable would be brought to justice.
Erale also urged school authorities, parents, and transport operators to remain vigilant in safeguarding children, emphasizing that their safety must always be a top priority.
