The Ghana Police Service has arrested two Nigerian nationals in connection with the suspected sexual assault and killing of an 11-year-old girl, Blessing Innocent, at Gomoa Buduburam in Ghana's Central Region.
The suspects, identified as 40-year-old Kingsley Ozor, an automobile body sprayer, and his 19-year-old apprentice, Jeffery Otaigbe, were arrested on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following investigations into the child's disappearance.
According to a statement issued by the Central East Regional Police Command on Wednesday, October 21, the incident was reported after Blessing's mother visited the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Gomoa Buduburam District Police on Monday, October 19.
The mother told investigators that her daughter had been missing since Saturday, October 17, prompting police to begin inquiries into her whereabouts.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Blessing had visited the two suspects, who were her neighbours, at approximately 8:30 a.m. on the day she disappeared.
Police said the visit was the last known occasion on which the child had been seen before her disappearance was reported.
Following their arrest, both suspects reportedly acknowledged during questioning that Blessing had visited them on the date in question.
Investigators subsequently obtained information that led them to an unfinished building near a residential estate in the community.
According to the police account, Otaigbe allegedly took the child into the building, where she was sexually assaulted.
Police further alleged that the suspect later discovered that the girl was no longer alive.
During the investigation, Otaigbe reportedly directed officers to a location where the child's body had been concealed beneath shrubs near the unfinished building.
The police recovered the remains and transported them to the morgue at St. Gregory Catholic Hospital in Gomoa Buduburam.
Authorities said arrangements were being made for a post-mortem examination at the Police Hospital to establish the medical cause of death and assist the ongoing investigation.
The police have not publicly released an autopsy finding or independently established the precise circumstances in which Blessing died.
Although both suspects were arrested in connection with the case, the police account specifically attributes the alleged sexual assault to Otaigbe.
The exact nature of Ozor's alleged involvement remains a matter for investigators to establish.
Both men remain in police custody assisting with investigations, according to the latest statement from the Central East Regional Police Command.
The command commended officers of the Gomoa Buduburam District Police for their investigative efforts and assured the public that the case would be pursued through the appropriate legal processes.
The incident has drawn attention to concerns surrounding child protection, particularly the safety of children in familiar neighbourhood environments.
The circumstances described by investigators indicate that the victim was last seen visiting people known to her family or living within her immediate community.
However, the police have not established publicly whether the child was threatened, deceived or subjected to any other form of coercion before the alleged assault.
The investigation will also need to clarify the individual actions of both suspects, the medical cause of death and whether additional evidence supports criminal charges.
The case remains under investigation, and no conviction has been reported.
Under the presumption of innocence, both suspects are entitled to have the allegations against them examined through the judicial process before criminal responsibility can be established.
For Blessing's family, the recovery of her body has brought a tragic end to the search that began after her disappearance on October 17.
The police investigation is expected to determine the full circumstances surrounding her death and provide the basis for any subsequent prosecution.
Stone Reporters News will continue to monitor developments, including the outcome of the post-mortem examination and any formal charges brought against the suspects.
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