Officials of the Iju Police Division, Lagos State Police Command have arrested a trader, one Mallam Isiaka, for allegedly raping a primary 1 pupil in the Iju area of the state.
The victim, a nine-year-old boy who resides with his family on Coker Alhaja Street, Old Akute Road, Iju, was said to have complained about pains in the anus to his mother.
He said the 34-year-old trader penetrated his anus different times when his mother sent him to buy items from him.
The victim’s mother thereafter reported the matter at the police station and Isiaka was arrested and detained at the weekend.
Subsequently, the unidentified boy was taken to the Mirabel Centre for tests which revealed that the boy engaged in anal sex. Further tests to ascertain infections were carried out on him.
According to The Punch, the victim also told his mother that he could not open up on the incident because the suspect allegedly threatened that he would die if he reported anything to his parents.
The victim’s neighbour, one Olawumi, said the parents first became suspicious when their son was sent on an errand and he came back with his pants soaked after staying longer than usual.
Olawumi said, “Isiaka sells items across the road in his shop. The boy’s parents used to send him on errands to the shops. He bought household items like sugar, milk and biscuits from Isiaka. We call him mallam.
“On Saturday, the boy got the courage to open up on the incident. The boy said mallam had been raping him in his shop anytime he ran errands for his parents, adding that the mallam warned him that if he opened up to his mother, he was going to die.
“About two Mondays ago, the boy came back from school and he was asked to go and buy items from the shop. He came back with his pants soaked. He later confessed that the mallam had raped him about eight times.”
Another neighbour, who simply identified himself as Chukwuka, said, “The mallam is not known with any wife though he has stayed long in this area.
“The baffling thing is how he did it eight times and nobody caught him for once in the shop. The boy went to the hospital on Sunday and the tests came out positive that he had been raped.
“The mallam is still denying it, but the boy insisted that it was him and the tests had also confirmed the assault.”
Lamenting the shock she got after she was informed by her son, she said “We have gone to the hospital and they have given him some drugs. We were supposed to go to the hospital again.
“If you see my boy’s anus, it is no longer like a child’s. It is wider than my own.
“Ordinarily, he is an agile child, but he suddenly became cold recently. If not for the Spirit of God, I would not know since he is not a girl. I would never think anyone could be raping my boy,” she added.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, who confirmed Isiaka’s arrest, said, “The suspect was arrested for allegedly defiling the nine-year-old boy.
“We have the Family Support Unit which handles cases of domestic and sexual violence.
“Justice will be done in the matter,” the PPRO confirmed, adding that the case had been transferred to the Isokoko division for prosecution.
