- Suspect accused of sexually assaulting women over debts, using intimate videos to threaten victims
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested a man, identified as Usman Mohammed, over allegations of rape, sexual assault, cyberbullying, blackmail and intimidation of women in Abuja.
According to Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Police Command, Abuja CSP Josephine Adeh, the arrest followed a report received at Lugbe Police Station on Friday, November 6, 2026, at about 7:05 p.m., alleging that the suspect had been sexually and physically assaulting several women while using debts owed to him as a means of intimidation and coercion.
According to the police, operatives from Lugbe Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), immediately launched efforts to track down the suspect.
He was subsequently traced to the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Lugbe, where officers moved to effect his arrest.
On sighting the police team, Mohammed allegedly attempted to escape by speeding away in his vehicle. The officers gave chase and eventually intercepted him before he could gain access to the expressway.
Preliminary police investigations identified the suspect as a resident of FHA Lugbe, who allegedly engaged in predatory money-lending practices targeting women, particularly widows and other vulnerable persons.
In the latest incident leading to his arrest, the suspect allegedly lured a female victim into his vehicle and drove her to an isolated location in Lugbe, where he raped and sexually assaulted her.
The police further alleged that he forced the victim to undress and recorded videos of her intimate parts, which he subsequently used to threaten to expose her publicly and kill her if she failed to meet his repayment demands.
The allegations raise broader concerns about the exploitation of financial vulnerability, sexual violence and the use of digital platforms and intimate images as instruments of coercion against women.
The case also highlights the potential dangers associated with predatory informal lending practices, particularly where financial disputes are allegedly weaponised to subject borrowers to sexual exploitation, threats and humiliation.
For women facing economic hardship, especially widows and other vulnerable individuals, such alleged practices underscore the importance of accessible reporting channels, legal protection and stronger institutional responses to gender-based violence.
The intersection of debt-related intimidation and technology-facilitated abuse also presents a serious challenge for law enforcement, as perpetrators may exploit victims’ fear of public exposure to sustain coercion and prevent them from seeking help.
The suspect is currently in police custody and undergoing further interrogation. The Command said he would be charged before a court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, PhD, FCAI, condemned all forms of violence, sexual exploitation, intimidation and cyberbullying.
He urged residents, particularly vulnerable persons, not to remain silent in the face of abuse, threats or blackmail, but to report such incidents promptly to the nearest police station.
Residents can also contact the Command through its emergency lines: 08032003913 and 08061581938.
The case once again draws attention to the need for stronger protection of women against sexual exploitation, financial coercion and technology-facilitated abuse, as well as the importance of ensuring that allegations of rape and other sexual offences are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
