From Yakubu Wuyep, Jos

Plateau State Commissioner of Police Bassey Ewah has said that the police command in the state remains accountable to members of the public that the state will not be a hiding place for criminal elements.

Ewah said that some of the operational breakthrough by the command included the arrest of a  suspect for act of gross indecency , criminal force ,rape and unnatural offence .

He said that on March 3,2026 in the evening ,the police received a report at Pankshin Divisional Police Headquarters that one Longman Joshua ,a male and 18 years old was caught having carnal knowledge of a one year old girl .

According to the report, the victim mother who is a student usually leaves the victim in the care of her elder brother.

Ewah ,who was briefing the Press at the weekend after parading the suspects for all criminal activities ,said on that fateful day, the brother bathing the victim with cold water .

“She became suspicious and upon close observation ,she noticed that the victim seemed to be stooling blood .

” She questioned the brother and he revealed that whenever he was left at home with his sister , the said Longman Joshua (the suspect) , would send him to buy biscuits or peanuts for him .

” Upon his return ,he would find the suspect naked on top of the victim , having sexual intercourse with her through the anus .

“He also revealed that it happened on several occasions but on that particular day ,there was blood coming out of her anus ,so he decided to bathe her ,” the police Commissioner elucidated .

Ewah added that on receipt of the report , the police detectives immediately swang  into action and arrested the suspect and obtained his statement under word of caution , explaining that the suspect and the victim were taken to Pankshin General Hospital for medical examination .

” Medical examination carried out on the victim revealed that the victim anus appeared to be hyperaemic with bleeding gushing out of the anus , suggesting sexual assaults on her “, Ewah further elucidated.

He said that as investigation is still going on , the case will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.

The Police boss also paraded an arrested suspect for criminal intimidation and defilement and other arrest of suspects for criminal intimidation , criminal force ,invest and defilement where one Asen Arin ,40 years old has been forcefully having sexual intercourse with his niece nine years whenever her grandmother was not at home.

He also told journalists that all the suspects confessed to the crimes and would soon be charged to court for prosecution .

There were also cases of arrest of suspects for criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide and some suspects paraded for criminal conspiracy and being in possession of firearms .

A suspect for unlawful possession of locally made pistol and human skull was also paraded .

Ewah also revealed that on April 30 ,2026 some nine suspects were arrested in relation with cult related activities , naming them as Abubakar Abdullahi ,Amir Ibrahim ,Rabiu Suleiman ,Babangida Usman ,Adam Abdullahi ,Umar Adam .

Others are Khalid Mohammad ,Sani Husaini and Suleiman Salihu all male of Dilimi in Jos North Local Government Area of the state.

He said that the suspects conspired and armed themselves with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons and attacked Nawash Aliyu , Mohammad Lawal ,Idris Nasiru and Kabiru Ibrahim “.

Ewah lamented that the heinous crime is no longer limited to attacks on women and girls .”We are now recording cases where little boys and girls and being raped , often by persons entrusted with their care and protection as guardians .

” This is an abomination and a betrayal of trust that will not be tolerated.

“Even more worrisome is the emerging  trends where some traditional and religious leaders approach the police to plead that such matters be settled at home in order to protect the image of families or communities involved “.

He stated categorically that rape and defilement are not family matter but felonies against the state b, urging the state criminal investigation department any case of rape and defilement must be thoroughly investigated .