Police Arrest School Bus Driver Over Alleged Kidnap, Sexual Assault of 14-Year-Old Student

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 28-year-old school bus driver, Onome 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.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.

According to the police, the incident was reported at the Sapele Area Command on Tuesday by the victim’s father, who alleged that the suspect abducted his daughter while she was preparing to leave for school.

The statement said the suspect later contacted the father, demanded ₦503,000 and threatened to kill the girl if the money was not paid.

Following the payment, the victim was reportedly abandoned along Oton Road in Sapele, where she was reunited with her family in a traumatised condition, with indications that she had been sexually assaulted.

Police operatives subsequently 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 investigations continued. The suspect reportedly abandoned the school bus and fled after the incident.

However, acting on intelligence, operatives traced Ughagha to a hideout in the Ajimele area of Sapele, where he was arrested on Friday.

The police said the suspect confessed to his involvement in the crime during preliminary interrogation.

Edafe added that arrangements were underway to transfer him to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Asaba for further investigation.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Samuel Erale, condemned the incident and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting children against violence and exploitation.

The commissioner assured the public that “investigations will be thorough and that anyone found culpable will be brought to justice.”

He also urged school authorities, parents and transport operators to “exercise greater vigilance in safeguarding children,” stressing that the safety of every child entrusted to their care must remain paramount.

The case has renewed attention to the importance of child protection and the need for effective safeguards in school transportation systems.