The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 28-year-old school bus driver, Onome Lucky Ughagha, over the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of a 14-year-old female student in Sapele.
The suspect was also accused of demanding and collecting ₦503,000 from the victim’s father as ransom before abandoning the girl along Oton Road in Sapele.
According to the police, the incident was reported at the Sapele Area Command on October 20, 2026, by the victim’s father, who alleged that his daughter was abducted while preparing to leave for school.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Delta State, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed in a statement that the suspect allegedly contacted the girl’s father, demanded ₦503,000 and threatened to kill the minor if the ransom was not paid.
The statement added that the girl was abandoned along Oton Road after the money was paid. She was subsequently reunited with her family in a traumatised condition, with indications that she had been sexually assaulted.
Following the report, operatives of the Sapele Area Command launched an investigation, while the victim was taken to a medical facility for examination and treatment.
The police also invited the school’s principal and vice principal for questioning as efforts continued to locate the suspect, who had allegedly abandoned the school bus and fled.
Edafe said the suspect was eventually arrested on October 23 at his hideout in the Ajimele area of Sapele following intelligence-led operations.
According to the police spokesperson, the suspect reportedly confessed to his involvement in the crime during preliminary interrogation.
The command disclosed that arrangements were being made to transfer him to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Asaba for further investigation.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Erale, condemned the alleged incident and reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting children from violence and exploitation.
He assured the public that the investigation would be thorough and that anyone found culpable would face the law.
The commissioner also urged school authorities, parents and transport operators to strengthen child protection measures, emphasising that the safety of children entrusted to their care must remain a top priority.
