A 54-year-old man was on Wednesday arrested by a vigilante group in Zuma Rock Village, close to Maddalla, Niger State, for allegedly having canal knowledge of a 13-year-old girl.

According to an eyewitness, the 54-year-old was nabbed at about 6:31 pm after members of the vigilante group where informed by parents of the minor that their daughter, who went to hawk banana as early as 7:00 a.m. had not return home.

“It was in the process of searching for the girl that members of the vigilante group saw her inside an uncompleted building half naked with the man guarding the place,” the eyewitness said.

The man was alleged to have lured the girl into an uncompleted building in the area, after he bought some of the bananas she was selling.

A member of the vigilante group said, “In fact, it was through the help of one of the residents, whose house was very close to the place that we located the place. He said he saw the time the man called the girl to bring banana and when we quickly rushed there, we saw him half naked and arrested him on the spot.”

He further noted that the suspect was taken to the Madalla police station.

It was learnt that the suspect had earlier in the year been arrested for allegedly defiling another minor at the village but the timely intervention of the elders of the community saved him from been lynched by an angry mob who got wind of the incident.

The arrest of the accused was confirmed by an officer at the Mandalla police station, adding that he would be charged to court as soon as investigation into the matter is concluded.