The Ogun State Police Command has announced that it has arrested a 40-year-old secondary school teacher, one Olaniran Adewale, for sexually assaulting innocent girls.
The spokesperson for the state police command, SP Omolola Odutola, confirmed this to our correspondent on Wednesday.
Olaniran until his arrest was a Mathematics teacher at Ebenezer Grammar School, Iberekodo, Abeokuta.
He is a native of Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State with OGNO.30650 of Ogun State Teaching Service Commission.
Speaking with our correspondent, Odutola said, “On your enquiries, on the 4th of November, 2023, a case of suspected rape was reported by a director in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Kazeem Wonuola.
“She reported that one Lateef Olaniran aged 40 of number 50, Ifelodun Street, Obantoko, Abeokuta and a teacher with Ebenezer Grammar School, Iberekodo, Abeokuta was in the habit of luring innocent girls into his house after which he would rape them.
“Can you also imagine that the very day the police went after the suspect, he was met allegedly perpetrating the same evil and it took the interventions of the police to rescue his victim?
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Alamutu Abiodun, has zero tolerance for any case of sexual offences. I can’t even begin to list a number of those cases that had been charged to court under his watch. We have been having lots of support too from those Non-Governmental Organisations that are into protection of rights of women. Once the investigation is completed, definitely, the suspect will pay for the crime.”
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Motunrayo Adijat Adeleye, had also on Wednesday, on her X handle, spoken about the arrest of Olaniran believed to be a serial rapist.
The commissioner said a member of her team was contacted by one of the suspect’s victims, saying immediate action was taken to investigate the case.
She said, “On Saturday, a member of our team got a call from a young lady reporting that she had been raped by a man. We swung into action and located her, took her to the laboratory to run several tests before taking her to the police station to make a report.
“We thereafter went with the police to the accused home but after several knocks, he refused to open the gate. We were able to locate the brother to the house owner, who assisted us in gaining access to the compound.
“We heard a girl’s cry for help when we got into the compound. With the support of the police, we caught Mr. Olaniran Lateef Adewale, a secondary school mathematics teacher at Ebenezer Grammar school Iberekodo, Abeokuta and a native of Ipokia Local Government of Ogun State with OGNO.30650 of Ogun State Teaching Service Commission.
“The girl with him also accused him of forcibly having sexual intercourse with her and threatening to kill her if she does not ask her family to send him money.
“Mr. Olaniran has been remanded at the Ogun State Command Headquarters pending more investigation by the police.
Meanwhile, the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has described rape as a criminal offence in the state, and urged rape victims to always report cases to the ministry.
Abiodun in a post shared by his Special Assistant on New Media, Emmanuel Ojo, said, “We use this opportunity to encourage anyone with useful information about this man to come forward and we also encourage rape victims to always report rape cases to the ministry.
“The victims will undergo counselling to help ease this unimaginable trauma.
“I want to assure you that the government and law enforcement agencies are committed to tackling this issue head-on and ensuring justice prevails.
“Our collective voice must resound in unison, condemning these acts and demanding justice for the victims.
“Rape is a criminal offence that leaves lasting scars on its survivors—physically, emotionally, and mentally.
“No individual should experience such trauma or live in constant fear of becoming a victim. It is our responsibility to reaffirm the values of respect, empathy, and compassion towards one another.
Credit: punchng.com
