The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 28-year-old school bus driver, OnomeUghagha, over the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of a 14-year-old female student in Sapele.
The suspect allegedly collected ₦503,000 from the girl’s father as ransom before abandoning the student along Oton Road in Sapele, according to the police.
The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed the arrest in a statement on Sunday. He said the incident was reported to 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.
According to the police account, the suspect contacted the father, demanded ₦503,000 and threatened to kill the girl if the money was not paid.
After the ransom was reportedly paid, the student was abandoned along Oton Road and later reunited with her family. Police said she was in a traumatised condition, with indications that she had been sexually assaulted.
Following the report, operatives of the Sapele Area Command began investigations, while the girl was taken to a medical facility for examination and treatment.
The school’s principal and vice-principal were also invited for questioning as investigators worked to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Police said the suspect had abandoned the school bus and fled. Acting on intelligence, operatives traced him to a hideout in the Ajimele area of Sapele, where he was arrested on October 23.
Ughagha reportedly confessed to involvement in the incident during preliminary interrogation, according to the police statement. Arrangements were being made to transfer him to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Asaba for further investigation.
The Commissioner of Police in Delta State, CP Samuel Erale, condemned the alleged crime and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting children from violence and exploitation.
He also urged school authorities, parents and transport operators to exercise greater vigilance in safeguarding children, stressing the responsibility of adults entrusted with their care.
The allegations remain subject to investigation, and the suspect’s arrest does not in itself establish guilt.
Deborah Adeyefa
