The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 53-year-old man, Kolawole Babawale, for allegedly sexually abusing his 16-year-old niece and facilitating two abortions for her.
Police said the victim personally reported the matter at a station, disclosing that she had endured repeated assaults by her uncle. She alleged the abuse occurred almost daily and that after each incident, the suspect would clean her private parts with a cloth.
Confirming the arrest, Police Public Relations Officer, SP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the Gender-Based Offences Unit acted swiftly after receiving the complaint. Operatives immediately apprehended Babawale and began processing the case.
βThe victim further alleged that the suspect engaged in the act almost daily, and that after each episode, he would clean her private part with a piece of cloth. Shockingly, the suspect had also facilitated the termination of her pregnancies on two occasions,β Ayanlade stated.
According to police, investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly arranged for the termination of the teenagerβs pregnancies on two separate occasions. The details of how the procedures were carried out are now part of the ongoing investigation.
The case has since been taken to court. The suspect was arraigned before a competent jurisdiction and ordered to be remanded in custody pending trial.
Police authorities said the Command is committed to ensuring justice in the case and stressed that there would be no tolerance for violations against minors.
The incident has renewed concerns about rising cases of sexual abuse in Nigeria and the need for stronger monitoring mechanisms to safeguard minors within families.
