Parents and concerned residents in Yobe State are calling for justice after they found out that a man in their community had been defiling little children by luring them with chocolate and candy.

Baba Sahabi, 66, a resident of Daban Kare area of Sabon Gari in Yobe State, allegedly lures the children into his compound before raping them.

Sahabi was arrested after parents noticed the girls expressing pain in their private areas, which had been damaged due to repeated defilement.

A resident of the area said, "He is always buying chocolates daily to use to lure the girls into his compound.

"The victims who live around his area were sexually abused several times by the randy man. He was said to have been very friendly with children and often offer them sweets.

"Parents of the victims said that they only discovered about the incident after the girls were showing signs of being in pain. A check on their bodies showed that the victims' private parts were severely damaged as a result of repeated assault."

Sahabi is currently in police custody at the Gashua Area Command.

The arrest comes as cases of sexual violence against women and children is increasingly recorded across the country.

On Wednesday, SaharaReporters detailed how residents in Nguru area of Yobe State expressed anger after the Nigeria Police Force set free a man, who serially raped a seven-year old refugee girl.

The resident, who spoke with SaharaReporters, said this was not the first time in Yobe that alleged rapists will be escaping justice.

"Last year a traditional ruler in Gashua was suspended for repeatedly sodomising a six-year-old boy. The traditional ruler was said to have been hijacking the boy every morning while riding on his bicycle to school, luring him to a room and raped him.

"Prominent politicians said to be connected to the traditional ruler were said to have been influencing the case and so far family of the victim's hope of getting justice has been dashed," he said.