Three men have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 12-year-old hawker in Jalam town in the Dambam Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The suspects, Babangida Buba (35), Kamisu Garba (27), and Yahaya Babayo (30), were said to have lured the victim to the outskirts of the market, where they defiled her.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, said medical examination confirmed that the girl was raped.

Wakil, a Superintendent of Police, said, “On May 18, 2023, around 12pm, a distress call was received from a medical doctor serving at the General Hospital, Dambam, that on the same date around 11.30 am, one Hafsat Habu (not real name), 12, while in accompany of her father, Buba Usman, went to the hospital for the medical attention of Hafsat.

“It was discovered that the girl was raped based on medical examination. On receiving the information, a team of detectives, led by Divisional Police Officer, Dambam, visited the hospital and launched a discreet investigation into the matter.

“Consequently, the investigation revealed that on May 17, 2023, around 12pm, the victim, while hawking tofu (awara) at Dambam Market, was lured by a group of three persons to the outskirts of the market. They forcefully had unlawful carnal knowledge of her. The investigation was extended, which led to the arrest of the three suspects.”

He said all the suspects confessed to the crime, adding that they would soon be prosecuted.