Police authorities in Nasarawa State have taken into custody a 37-year-old pastor over the alleged defilement of a minor after reportedly misleading her guardian under the pretext of spiritual intervention.
SP Ramhan Nansel, the spokesman of the command disclosed the development in a statement issued on Sunday in Lafia.
He said officers from the Karshi Divisional Headquarters carried out the arrest.
According to him, the suspect was arrested following allegations that he defiled a 16-year-old girl after deceiving her family.
“The arrest followed a complaint lodged at the Division on April 18, 2026, at about 8:00pm.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect deceived the victim’s aunt, claiming her niece was “possessed” and required cleansing at a river.
“He instead took the victim to a hotel in New Karshi, where he allegedly had unlawful carnal knowledge of her twice and threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident to anybody,” Nansel added.
The police said the case surfaced when the victim’s guardian noticed changes in her behaviour and pressed her for an explanation.
Following this, the guardian reportedly sought medical evaluation, which confirmed penile penetration.
“Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to the offence and pleaded for leniency,” he said.
Nansel further stated that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Shetima Jauro-Mohammed, had ordered that the matter be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Lafia for thorough investigation and prosecution.
He assured the public that justice would be pursued and advised residents to be cautious about places of worship and individuals presenting themselves as clerics.
