Church guard arrested for alleged rape and murder of 11-year-old girl in Niger

A 26-year-old church security guard, identified as Godwin Dauda, ​​has been arrested for the alleged rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl, Christabel Albert, in Suleja, Niger State.

The incident occurred on September 19, 2026, when the girl allegedly left home to attend the birthday party of a relative in the area.

According to the Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, in a press release on Friday, the girl was later lured by Dauda to his security post at the Apostolic Church where he reportedly raped and subsequently killed her.

Police said a missing person report was lodged at the A Division police station, Suleja, on September 20, after Christabel failed to return home.

The statement said a pastor of the church later reported the discovery of a body inside a well within the church premises, while police officers, assisted by officials from the local government’s social welfare department, reportedly evacuated the body and took it to Suleja General Hospital, where it was identified as that of the missing girl.

Abiodun said investigations led to suspicion of Dauda, ​​who had reportedly fled the church premises after the incident.

He was later arrested around 8pm on September 23 in Kuje area of ​​the Federal Capital Territory, where he had allegedly been hiding.

The PPRO said the suspect confessed during interrogation that he lured Christabel to his safe room on September 19 and raped her, resulting in her death.

The man reportedly told investigators that he had thrown the girl’s body into the well in an attempt to hide the crime before fleeing the area.

Police said a preliminary investigation was underway and the suspect would be transferred to the Minna State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and prosecution.