The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Niger State Command, has arrested a four-man syndicate for gang-raping a 13-year-old JSS1 student in Pandogari town, Rafi Local Government Area of the State.

The State Commandant of the Corps, Joachim Okafor, who disclosed this in Minna on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 while parading the suspects, said that the gang also allegedly cut-off the manhood of three-year boy.

The suspects confirmed that a witch doctor identified as Baba Sada, directed them to get the male genitals for a charm to make them immune to gun shot or knife attacks.

Okafor who spoke through the Second-in-Command of the Niger State NSCDC, Abdulhamid Kabara, disclosed that luck ran against the suspects after the 13-year-old victim, Fatima Usman escaped from an uncompleted building they took her to in the outskirt of Pandogari.

“A girl of about 13 year old named Fatima Usman, JSS1 student of Government Day Secondary School, Pandogari had an encounter with a gang of notorious boys who specializes in raping, maiming, and killing of school children. Fatima Usman reported the matter to the school principal, Mohammed Aketa, after having received several threats from one of the gang members”, he said.

“On Tuesday, May 2, 2024, the principal, however informed the security operatives about the development and a strategy was put in place, using the girl as bait, it worked out perfectly fine as the man threatening the the girl’s life was arrested. The arrested person identified himself as Aliyu Amiru, (M), 20 years of age, in the course of Investigations mentioned other syndicate members”, he said .