Niger Court Jails Man 13 Years for Defiling 10-Year-Old

The District Head of Bosso, Malam Muazu Adamu Laka, also welcomed the enforcement of the court’s order, saying it would reinforce public awareness of the seriousness of child sexual abuse and serve as a deterrent to others.

A Minna Senior Magistrate’s Court has sentenced 25-year-old Bala Aliyu to 13 years in prison and ordered him to receive 20 strokes of the cane for sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl in Bosso, Minna, Niger State.

The case was prosecuted by the Niger State Child Rights Protection Agency (NSCRPA), led by its Director-General, Ummul-Kalthume Muhammed.

Reacting to the judgment, Muhammed described it as a significant step in the fight against child sexual abuse and gender-based violence. She warned that the state would not shield perpetrators from justice and urged communities to stop protecting offenders and promptly report suspected cases of abuse to the appropriate authorities.

Prosecuting counsel from the Niger State Ministry of Justice, Aisha Ashafa, described the judgment as precedent-setting.

Ashafa disclosed that the victim’s mother had initially considered withdrawing the case but later allowed the legal process to continue after being made to understand the importance of seeking justice.

She urged parents, traditional rulers and community members to report suspected cases of child abuse to the NSCRPA or the police without delay.

The District Head of Bosso, Malam Muazu Adamu Laka, also welcomed the enforcement of the court’s order, saying it would reinforce public awareness of the seriousness of child sexual abuse and serve as a deterrent to others.