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, Delta State, after demanding and collecting ₦503,000 in ransom from the victim’s father.
The suspect allegedly abducted the teenager while she was preparing to leave for school, threatened to kill her if the ransom was not paid and subsequently abandoned her along Oton Road in Sapele after receiving the money.
The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday by its Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, stating that the victim’s father reported the incident to the Sapele Area Command on October 20, 2026.
According to the police, the girl was reunited with her family after the suspect allegedly abandoned her along Oton Road in a traumatised condition, with indications that she had been sexually assaulted.
“Following payment, the victim was reportedly abandoned along Oton Road, Sapele, where she was reunited with her family in a traumatised condition, with indications of sexual assault,” the police said.
Following the report, operatives of the Sapele Area Command commenced investigations into the incident, while the victim was taken to a medical facility for examination and treatment.
The police also invited the school principal and vice principal for questioning as part of efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The suspect reportedly abandoned the school bus and fled after the alleged crime, prompting security operatives to intensify efforts to track him down.
The command said operatives, acting on intelligence, traced Ughagha to his hideout in the Ajimele area of Sapele, where he was arrested on October 23, 2026.
“During preliminary interrogation, he reportedly confessed to his involvement in the crime,” the statement added.
The police disclosed that arrangements were underway to transfer the suspect to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Asaba for further investigation.
The Commissioner of Police in Delta State, CP Samuel E. Erale, condemned the alleged crime and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting children against violence, abuse and exploitation.
According to the statement, the commissioner assured the public that the investigation would be thorough and that anyone found culpable would be brought to justice.
“He assures that investigations will be thorough and that anyone found culpable will be brought to justice,” the police said.
Erale also urged school authorities, parents and transport operators to exercise greater vigilance in safeguarding children, emphasising the need for those entrusted with their care to prioritise their safety.
“The safety of every child entrusted to their care must remain paramount,” the police quoted the commissioner as saying.
The police said further investigations would be conducted to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the suspect’s culpability.