Niger Police Arrest Church Security Guard Over Alleged Sexual Assault and Death of 11 Year Old Girl.

Niger Police Arrest Church Security Guard Over Alleged Sexual Assault and Death of 11 Year Old Girl.

SULEJA, Niger State The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 26 year old security guard, identified as Godwin Dauda, over the alleged sexual assault and death of an 11 year old girl, Christabel Albert, in Suleja.

The case came to light after the child was reported missing on September 20, 2026, a day after she reportedly left home to attend a relative’s birthday ceremony within the area. According to the police, a pastor of the Apostolic Church in Suleja subsequently reported the discovery of a body inside a well on the church premises.

Police officers, accompanied by officials from the Suleja Local Government Council, recovered the body and transported it to the General Hospital, Suleja, where it was identified as that of the missing girl.

According to Niger State Police spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun, investigators subsequently focused on Dauda, who worked as a security guard at the church and had allegedly left the premises after the discovery. The suspect was arrested at about 8 p.m. on September 23 in the Kuje area of the Federal Capital Territory, where police said he had gone to hide.

Abiodun said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect allegedly lured the girl into his security room at the church, where she was sexually assaulted. The police spokesperson further said Dauda allegedly confessed during interrogation that the girl died following the assault and that he disposed of her body in the well in an attempt to conceal the crime.

The police have stressed that investigations are still ongoing. The suspect is expected to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The case underscores the importance of swift investigation and accountability in cases involving violence against children. It also highlights the need for vigilance and effective child protection measures in places where children may come into contact with adults entrusted with security or other responsibilities.

As of the latest reports, the allegations remain subject to the ongoing criminal investigation and due process.