Operatives of Cross River State Police Command have arrested a 22-year-old security guard for alleged sexual assault of a five-year-old nursery school pupil in Calabar.
Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, in a statement Tuesday, said the command received formal report of the incident on September 28.
Eitokpah said the suspect was caught leading the girl to an uncompleted building adjacent to the school premises where the alleged assault occurred.
He said the suspect remains in custody, with preliminary investigation ongoing before transfer to State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, for full investigation and prosecution.
The PPRO said the command is treating the case with utmost gravity due to tender age of the victim and need to protect children from sexual violence.
He urged parents, school administrators and community members to be vigilant and promptly report suspected child abuse cases.
He warned against publishing victim’s name, photographs or identifying details on social media, stressing that privacy, mental health and welfare of the child remain paramount.
