The Police Command in Gombe State has arrested a 71-year-old man for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl ten times.

Maikudi Shehu, the Commissioner of Police in the state, made this known during a press conference in Gombe on Wednesday, NAN reports.

Shehu disclosed that the suspect, a maize seller at the Gombe main market, who resides in Idi quarters in the state, was arrested on the 18 of June 2020.

According to him, a preliminary investigation had revealed that the suspect lured the victim to grind corn and steal more corn at the grinding place.

“The suspect gave a talisman to the victim to bury in her house, which, he said, would protect her from being caught or seen while carrying out the act of stealing.

“The victim succeeded in stealing about 146 measures of corn,” he said.

The police commissioner said that the suspect, thereafter, had carnal knowledge of the girl, adding that the victim confessed to having been raped ten times.

In a similar vein, Shehu said that the police command had also arrested a member of a kidnapping gang, who invaded Yelwa village in Akko Local Government Area of the state to carry out their nefarious activities.

“During the exchange of fire with policemen, one of the kidnappers was gunned down and another person, who was also one of the kidnappers, was arrested while others fled with gunshot injuries,” he said.