Oyo State Police Command has arrested a 21-year-old man, Sodiq Abiodun, for impersonating as a soldier and raping an 17-year-old girl, Alimot Ismail.
Abiodun was arrested together with his alleged accomplice, Lekan Adesokan, aged 31.
While parading the suspects on Thursday at the Command headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, the Commissioner of Police, Shina Olukolu, said:
“On February 19, at about 8:30a.m. one Ismail Alimot, female, aged 17 was accosted by one notorious hoodlum who often impersonated as a soldier at a desolate spot in Modina, Orita Aperin area of Ibadan.
“The hoodlum attacked the said Ismail Alimot, dispossessed her of her cell phone and abducted her to his hideout at Papa Eleye, Olomi area, Ibadan where his syndicate member was waiting for him. The victim was held hostage and later raped serially until the next day.
“As soon as the incident was reported at SARS office, a team of SARS operatives swung into action and two hoodlums who later identified themselves as Sodiq Abiodun and Lekan Adesokan were arrested in connection with the crime. A complete set of Nigerian Army camouflage uniform which he normally wore to carry out his criminal activities was recovered from him.”
While confessing to the crime, Abiodun who is a father of one, said he wanted to be a military man but fate did not smile at him, leading to the impersonation for survival because of hardship. He said:
“I am a carpenter but people know me in my area as a military man. I love the profession. Since 2007, I kept applying to join the Nigerian Army but I didn’t make it. For one reason or the others, they usually disqualify me. I love the job, so I got an army uniform and started wearing it around.
“I traveled around with the uniform. People gave money because they knew me as a soldier.
“This is the first time I would be involved in rape. I wooed the girl and took her to my friend’s house. The act was committed in the process.”
His accomplice also said:
“I knew him as an army officer in the community where I live. Many people thought he is a soldier. He was loved and respected. He was always traveling; he would travel for a long time and people would believe that he went on official duty. He brought the girl to my house.”
The police commissioner said that Items discovered from the fake soldier included a set of army uniform and other things, adding that the suspects would soon be charged to court.
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