A fashion designer, Funmi (pseudonym), has been abducted and gang-raped by seven men on Powerline Road, Oko Oba, in the Agege area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the Elere Police Division, where the rape was reported, had arrested a 32-year-old man, Abiodun Ariyo, as one of the suspects.
Ariyo, who is a cobbler and reportedly made advances to Funmi in the past which she refused, allegedly led six of his friends to abduct and gang-rape the 20-year-old lady.
Our correspondent learnt that on Sunday at about 9pm, Funmi was returning home from her shop when she was said to have been waylaid by Ariyo on Powerline Road.
The suspect, who reportedly came with six men, allegedly dragged the lady to a place where she was gang-raped.
Our correspondent gathered that Funmi was thereafter taken away to a yet-to-be-identified building where she was kept till the evening of Monday.
The victim’s family members were said to have looked everywhere for the lady without success, after which they reported at the police station.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the gang later sneaked into the area at about 11pm on Monday and dropped off Funmi on her street.
The lady was said to have become unconscious, as she could not talk for about a day.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro, Funmi’s elder brother, Olasunkanmi, said the family was distraught while trying to find out the whereabouts of the victim.
He said, “Abbey (Ariyo) had earlier disturbed my sister, but she was not interested. Later, he bought her a phone which she collected. When we learnt about it, we told her to return it as Abbey was not a responsible man.
“She went to return the phone to Abbey on Saturday. On Sunday, she was returning home around 9pm from her shop when Abbey led some guys To Molest her.
“They took her to a place where they slept with her. We searched for her all through Sunday till Monday. I went to her shop, but her friends said they did not see her. Around 11pm on Monday, she staggered back home.
“We asked her what happened, but she could not say anything. It was on the second day, Tuesday, that she told us that it was Abbey and his friends that gang-raped her.
“She could not recall other faces well, but she recognised Abbey. However, the police have yet to arrest the other suspects.”
A social worker, identified only as Ike, who took Funmi for medical examination, said the result was being awaited to know if the victim had any complication.
She said, “The lady could identify only one person who has now been arrested. The suspect and his parents live in the same house. The man is still denying the incident. She has been taken for a medical test and we are awaiting the result.”
PUNCH Metro learnt that the matter had been brought to the attention of the Lagos State Domestic and Social Violence Response Team.
The team’s Coordinator, Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, said the Department of Public Prosecutions had prepared a letter to request the duplicate case file once the matter was charged to court.
She said, “When the victim was brought to our attention, we engaged the Divisional Police Officer and the police ensured the arrest of one of the key suspects.
“This is a drug-addicted rape, so the lady could barely recognise the faces. She narrated to us that when she saw Abbey, they were talking about his phone.
“She suddenly saw different men behind him, and one of them used a handkerchief to cover her nose. That was the last thing she knew.
“We are waiting for the result of the medical tests. So, once the matter is charged to court, we have stood by with the DPP to request the duplicate case file for advice.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, had yet to get back to our correspondent on the incident.
