*As Police Arrest Alleged Ringleader In 15-Year-Old’s Gang-Rape Case

The Ogun State Ministry of Justice on Wednesday said that Miss Nsikak Abigail Emem, popularly known as Mirabel, the TikTok user whose sexual assault allegation in February sparked widespread reactions on social media, was found to have raised a false alarm and that the case lacked merit for prosecution.

The ministry also revealed that Mirabel has made significant progress in her rehabilitation and is currently preparing for examinations that would enable her to pursue further academic studies.

Providing an update on the incident four months later, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Mr Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), said in a statement on Wednesday that “investigations by relevant authorities, as well as Mirabel’s own admissions, established that the rape allegation was false and deliberately fabricated.”

The statement noted that “there was consequently no offender to be apprehended or prosecuted in connection with the claim, and no threat to public safety arising from the narrative initially presented.”

Ogungbade explained that “following a comprehensive review of the circumstances, it was concluded that the interest of justice would be better served through psycho-social rehabilitation rather than prosecution.”

Mirabel was therefore said to have since been placed under the care of the Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, where she is receiving rehabilitative support.

Ogungbade added that, “The Ministry of Justice has been receiving periodic reports on her progress, and the feedback indicates that she has responded positively to rehabilitation. She is currently preparing for examinations as part of efforts to further her academic pursuits.”

It would be recalled that Mirabel, as the TikToker is popularly known, had alleged that her residence in Ogijo, Sagamu Local Government Area of the state, was invaded by unidentified persons who, according to her viral social media post, sexually assaulted her.

The posts triggered significant public outrage, with celebrities commenting on the wider issue of sexual assault and donations being made.

However, the claim later faced intense online scrutiny over alleged inconsistencies, including the absence of supporting phone records and a lack of physical evidence of a forced break-in at the scene.

She was later said to have presented herself voluntarily at a police station in connection with her widely publicised rape allegation.

The spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed that Mirabel visited the station of her own free will.

Babaseyi added that she underwent a comprehensive medical examination, after which she was released to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for further care.

Speaking on the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl in the Ibogun area of the state, the ministry disclosed that significant progress had been made in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

The commissioner recalled that four men allegedly took turns sexually assaulting the teenager. One of the suspects, Segun Samuel, was arrested shortly after the incident, while the others fled.

Ogungbade revealed that sustained collaboration between the ministry and the police had led to the arrest of the alleged ringleader of the attack, Qudus Abiola Yekini.

While two other suspects remain at large, the ministry described the arrest as a major breakthrough and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that all those involved are apprehended and prosecuted.

The ministry commended the Ogun State Police Command for its efforts in securing the arrest, particularly the Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni; Deputy Commissioners of Police, DCP Bolanle Murtala and DCP Gbenga Adeoye; Area Commander, Ifo, ACP Seyi Olugboji Williams; DPO Ifo, CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen; DPO Ibogun, CSP Sasa Adeniyi; and the Officer-in-Charge of Gender Affairs, SP Bunmi Asogbon.

According to the statement, the arrest underscores the Ogun State Government’s zero-tolerance stance on gender-based violence and should reassure the public that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects.

The government also reiterated its condemnation of all forms of criminal conduct, including violent assaults on vulnerable persons and the making of false allegations.

It urged residents to refrain from such acts, warning that offenders would be held accountable in accordance with the law.

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