The Niger State Child Rights Protection Agency has announced the arrest of eight persons suspected of raping four girls in Minna.
Director-General of the agency, Mariam Kolo, disclosed on Tuesday that the victims were teenagers hawking wares on the street.
The suspects are Yahaya Yakuso, 50; Yusuf Idris, 35; Tukur Buhari, 35; Mohammed Yusuf, 25; Musa Ibrahim, 35; Nasir Abubakar, 35; Isah Garba, 29; and Ibrahim, 30.
Mrs Kolo said the suspects were arrested following series of surveillance by the agency’s officials and tip off from other stakeholders that a gang of rapists were sexually abusing the girls.
She alleged that the suspects lured teenage girls who hawk wares with N150 or N200 to have carnal knowledge of them.
The director-general said that the suspects made useful statements and were handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.
She also warned parents and guardians against sending their children to hawk wares on the street, warning that the agency prosecutes parents engaged in the act as provided under the state anti-hawking and street begging law.
Kolo urged parents, instead, to send their children to school in order to become better citizens in the future.
