The police in Minna, the Niger State capital, has arrested a 60-year-old man from Niger Republic, Isa Usman, for allegedly raping a 9-year-old girl at the Kure Ultra Modern Market, in the city.
The suspect who owns a shop where he deals in sachet water, is said to have lived in the state for over 20 years and has 12 children from three wives and has been accepted as a member of the society but he sent shock waves round the ultra modern market over his action.
It was learnt that the girl he raped was one of the many girls that usually helped him to hawk pure water in the market for some stipends.
It was further gathered that Usman committed the sordid act in a broad day light when the market was in session and the cries from the girl while he was having canal knowledge of her attracted people in the market who forced themselves into his shop and saw him on top of girl.
Shocked by the incident, traders in the market descended on him to rescue the small girl and would have lynched him but for the timely intervention of the market police who rescued him and whisked him to the GRA Police Division.
The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Bala Elkana, confirmed the incident and said that the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.