Police Arrest School Bus Driver Over Kidnapping, Sexual Assault of Delta Student

The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 28-year-old school bus driver, Onome Lucky Ughagha, over the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of a 14-year-old female student in Sapele.

The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the victim’s father reported the incident to the Sapele Area Command on October 20, 2026.

According to the police, the father alleged that the suspect abducted his daughter while she was preparing to leave for school. The suspect subsequently contacted him, demanded ₦503,000 in ransom and threatened to kill the girl if the money was not paid.

The police said the victim was abandoned along Oton Road in Sapele after the ransom was paid. She was later reunited with her family in a traumatised condition, with indications that she had been sexually assaulted.

Following the report, operatives of the Sapele Area Command launched an investigation, while the victim was taken to a medical facility for examination and treatment.

The school’s principal and vice-principal were also invited for questioning as investigators intensified efforts to locate the suspect, who had reportedly abandoned the school bus and fled.

Edafe said operatives, acting on credible intelligence, traced Ughagha to his hideout in the Ajimele area of Sapele, where he was arrested on October 23.

The suspect reportedly confessed to his involvement during preliminary interrogation, according to the police. Arrangements were being made to transfer him to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Asaba for further investigation.

The Commissioner of Police in Delta State, CP Samuel Erale, condemned the incident and reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting children from violence and exploitation.

Eralе assured the public that investigations would be thorough and that anyone found culpable would be brought to justice.

He also urged school authorities, parents and transport operators to strengthen measures for safeguarding children, stressing that the safety of pupils entrusted to their care must remain a priority.

The incident has raised concerns about the safety of school transportation and the need for vigilance among parents, school administrators and operators responsible for transporting children.