The Edo State Police Command has arrested a 42-year-old man, identified as Oji Okoro, for allegedly sexually abusing a 12-year-old boy.
Okoro was among 15 suspects paraded by the command for alleged offences ranging from kidnapping and vandalism to unlawful possession of firearms and staged abduction.
Parading the suspects, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, said Okoro was arrested in connection with an alleged unnatural offence involving the minor.
She said, “This man, Oji Okoro, committed an unnatural offence; he defiled a 12-year-old boy.”
Also paraded were 26-year-old Donatus Martins and his accomplice, who were accused of vandalising cables and other equipment belonging to the Africa Independent Television office in Benin City.
According to the police, the suspects allegedly carted away equipment worth more than N4m from the premises since the television station ceased operations.
Martins reportedly admitted involvement in the vandalism, saying proceeds from the stolen items were shared between him and his accomplice after they were sold.
He explained that during one of their operations, they stole three DVD players and three copper cables, which they sold for N75,000, while N5,000 was allegedly paid to a motorcycle operator.
The suspect, who identified himself as a bricklayer, said he resorted to the crime whenever he could not secure construction work.
He added that the suspects carried out another operation for N90,000 but received N70,000 from the buyer, leaving N20,000 unpaid before they were apprehended during their third attempt.
Meanwhile, the police also paraded Chigozie Anthony over an alleged staged kidnapping involving a girl he reportedly met through TikTok.
Anthony was accused of luring the girl to his residence, allegedly keeping her there and demanding N500,000 from her parents, who reportedly paid the ransom before the police arrested him.
However, the suspect denied kidnapping the girl, claiming that she was his girlfriend and that both of them planned the incident.
According to Anthony, the girl had been communicating with him for more than a month before visiting his residence.
He alleged that she told him she needed money to establish herself after completing her nursing training and suggested that he hide her so that her family could be made to pay.
He said he subsequently demanded N500,000 from her parents, who paid the money.
Another suspect, Ajayi Godwin, was paraded over alleged unlawful possession of firearms in Auchi.
The command also paraded Akinla Lawrence and his accomplice for allegedly vandalising pipelines around the Okada axis of Ovia North-East Local Government Area.
The police said investigations into the various cases were ongoing.