Three female undergraduates of the Lagos State University have identified two suspected rapists alleged to have been terrorising students resident outside the university campus.
The students identified the suspects, when two men, simply identified as Akeem and Muyideen, were arrested by operatives of the vigilante group operating off the institution’s campus, for the alleged theft of a generating set, belonging to another student in the area.
The Point was reliably informed that there had been various cases of rape, burglary and robbery in the houses in the area, occupied mainly by students. However, reprieve came the way of the students on Thursday last week, when one of the suspects wanted to sell a generating set earlier stolen from a student to a receiver in the area.
A member of the vigilante group, who was already aware of the theft of the generating set, on sighting Akeem, pretended not to be looking in his direction, but monitored him closely until he delivered the item to the receiver, identified as Muyideen. After Akeem had left, the security operative went to Muyideen’s shop and interrogated him about the stolen item.
In the course of the questioning, Akeem showed up again and the receiver identified him as the person who brought the generator to him for the purpose of disposing it. The vigilance group operative suddenly began to blow his whistle to alert his colleagues, who immediately stormed the venue.
Neighbours, who heard the rude noise, were said to have equally stormed the scene. It was in the course of the rowdy situation created by the incident that two female students of the university, who had come to see what was happening, recognised and identified the suspects, who they accused of attacking them twice in their rooms in the area.
Immediately, the suspects were stripped of their clothes, while arrangement was made to transfer them and the exhibit to Onireke Police Station near Barracks. At the station, the suspects were said to have confessed to the crime, saying that it was the handiwork of the devil.
According to a source, “Akeem and Muyideen admitted to raping and stealing from some female students living off the campus.” Meanwhile, security has since been beefed up around the area that serve as students’ residences, while investigation has continued.
The image maker for the Lagos State Police Command, Assitant Superintendent Olarinde Famous Cole, however, said he did not have the details of the incident yet. “I have not been officially briefed,” he said.
