A Senior Magistrate Court in Minna has handed down a combined 95-year prison sentence to four men convicted of gang-raping and impregnating a 13-year-old girl. The defendants, identified as Salisu Shehu Baura, Lawali Shaibu, Haruna Musa Saidu, and Bello, reside in Kontagora. One of the men, Bello, remains a fugitive after jumping bail.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) apprehended the group in 2023. During the proceedings, the court reviewed evidence including video statements, medical reports, and voice recordings. Presiding Magistrate Christy Umar Barau characterized the assault as an inhuman and cruel act. Despite pleas for leniency from the defense, the judge insisted that a severe punishment was necessary to deter similar crimes.
The court sentenced the first three defendants to 25 years each, while the fourth individual, currently at large, received a 20-year sentence. Niger State officials, including Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Services Hajiya Hadiza Idris Kuta, praised the ruling as a significant advancement in the state’s efforts to combat sexual violence against children.
