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, Delta State.
The suspect allegedly demanded and collected ₦503,000 in ransom from the victim’s father before abandoning the girl along Oton Road, Sapele, according to the police. the arrest on Monday, October 26, 2026.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Delta State, SP Bright Edafe, said the incident was reported to the Sapele Area Command on October 20 by the victim’s father, who alleged that the suspect abducted his daughter while she was preparing to leave for school.
According to the police, the suspect subsequently contacted the girl’s father, demanded ₦503,000 and threatened to kill the minor if the ransom was not paid.
After the money was reportedly paid, the girl was abandoned along Oton Road and later reunited with her family in a traumatised condition, with indications that she had been sexually assaulted.
The police said the victim was taken to a medical facility for examination and treatment, while investigations commenced into the incident.
The school’s principal and vice-principal were also invited for questioning as officers intensified efforts to locate the suspect, who had reportedly abandoned the school bus and fled.
Edafe said operatives, acting on credible intelligence, traced the suspect to his hideout in the Ajimele area of Sapele, where he was arrested on October 23.
The suspect reportedly confessed to his involvement during preliminary interrogation, according to the police. 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 incident and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting children from violence and exploitation.
E rale assured the public that the investigation would be thorough and that anyone found culpable would be brought to justice.
He also urged school authorities, parents and transport operators to strengthen measures for protecting children, stressing that the safety of students entrusted to their care must remain a priority.
Investigations into the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault are ongoing, and the allegations against the suspect remain subject to the legal process.
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