A director of finance, Ahmad Nawawi, one Habibu Abubakar, and another unidentified person, of the Sokoto State Urban and Regional Planning Board have allegedly impregnated a 14-year-old girl.
The suspects were said to have admitted committing the crime in their separate confessional statements at the Zonal Office of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other Related Matters, NAPTIP.
The NAPTIP Zonal Commander, Abubakar Tabra, confirmed that the victim was with them, but declined further comments, saying he was not authorized to address the press on the matter, hence declined newsmen access to the girl.
When contacted, the Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Tambuwal in charge of the agency, Sidi Lamido, said they were aware of the case and since two of the suspects and had written to the ministry for further necessary action.
Meanwhile, the trio allegedly took turns to have carnal knowledge of the girl; a sachet water hawker, in one of their offices, which has resulted into a six-month-old pregnancy.
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However, Nawawi told while addressing newsmen lamented that the entire allegation was a “frame up” with political undertones.
Also, Abubakar dismissed the allegation as a frame up, noting that they confessed under duress at the NAPTIP office.
A maternal aunty to the girl, Maryam Yusuf, alleged that the father was given the sum of N250,000 to withdraw the case and he allegedly used part of the money to buy a plot of land.
However, the father, Malam Muhammadu, who initially denied being financially induced to withdraw the case, later told newsmen that he received only N50,000 from the suspects, when he fell sick.
He, however, affirmed that he withdrew the case on moral grounds, adding that he believed in destiny as a Muslim.
He said “the suspects have promised to take care of my daughter and her education even after she puts to bed, although they did not make any commitment to the unborn child.”
The aunt narrated that “the victim’s parents separated before she was born and the mother who was my younger sister stayed and delivered the girl in my residence.
“She died not too long after her delivery because she lost a lot of blood during labour.
“I had wanted to keep the baby with me, but her father objected to that.
“Since then, the girl has been shuttling between her father’s house and her maternal grandmother’s house and only comes to my house when she is in need of something.
“I was in Niger Republic for my business when my brother called to break this sad news and because of that I rushed back home.
“On arrival, we went to her father who confirmed the incident, but said we should not worry, because it was already settled.”
The aunt said she objected to the father’s statement, worried that the girl was still under custody.
To that, she said he confessed that he was given enough money to abort the pregnancy and take care of the girl.
She however lamented that there was pressure and threats to her life over her refusal to let the case rest.
“I cannot let it go. They summoned me and offered me some money, but I refused to collect it. Now they are threatening my life,” she alleged.
She reiterated that she would not back down until justice was done to her niece.
Meanwhile, the state coordinator of Human Rights Commission, Hamza Liman, said they were aware of the case and they would follow it up to its logical conclusion.
