Peter Anyia, a 75-year old man, escaped lynching after he was caught by neighbours allegedly raping a 5-year old girl in their residence at Mosan, Ipaja area of Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, Wednesday.
The old man, also called Baba because of his age, was severely beaten and handed over to the police at Ipaja division where he is currently detained.
The matter is being investigated by an Inspector Lucky. The Delta State-born Anyia allegedly lured the victim to his flat and forcefully penetrated her.
The old man lost his wife some years ago and since then he has been living alone in the flat rented by his children. According to his neighbours, while Anyia was raping the victim, she was crying and her cry drew the attention of the neighbours.
The neighbours waited for the girl outside the old man’s flat and when she eventually came out, they asked her why she was crying.
One of the little girl’s neighbours said, "The girl initially refused to talk and said she was warned by Baba not to tell anyone or she would die. We laid her down and removed her pant and when we opened her private part, blood was dripping from it."
She started talking when the large crowd that had gathered assured her that nothing will happen to her.
When she started narrating how the old man raped her, the crowd descended on Anyia and attempted to lynch him before sanity prevailed and they handed him over to the police.
According to one of the residents who identified himself as Jerry Okoro, "We would have killed Anyia instantly, but we had a second thought because the police will move against the residents."
After the incident, the landlord of the house told Anyia not to return to the house again. He brought another padlock and locked the entrance to the flat and left.
When the reporters went to the house, the entrance to the rapist flat was still locked.
A woman tenant identified as Uju who shared the flat could not enter her own apartment.
She told the reporter that their landlord locked the place because of what Baba did.
The woman condernmed it and said she had begged the police and the landlord to open the place for her.
When reporters visited the station where Anyia was detained, he was still in the cell and the DPO was not around to comment on the matter.
Police sources who confirmed the incident said Anyia will be charged to court soon.
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