An FCT High Court has sentenced two security guards to life imprisonment for repeatedly raping a young girl over a period spanning six years.
The convicts, James Sule, 30, and Adamu Yau, 25, were convicted by Justice S.M. Mayana of High Court 46 in Apo after prosecution by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The court handed down the sentence without the option of a fine in accordance with the provisions of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.
In a statement issued by NAPTIP Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, the agency disclosed that the case was first reported in 2022 and involved incidents dating back to 2016 when the victim was only six years old.
According to evidence presented before the court, Sule, who worked as a security guard for the victim’s family at an estate in Lugbe, initially assaulted the child inside a toilet after promising to shield her from punishment by her grandmother. He was also said to have threatened the girl with a knife to prevent her from speaking out.
Investigators further revealed that Sule later brought in two other guards, including the second convict, Yau, and another suspect identified as Muhammed, who is still at large, to participate in the abuse.
The suspects reportedly warned the victim that her entire family would be killed if she disclosed the assaults.
NAPTIP stated that the abuse eventually came to light after the victim’s parents observed significant behavioural changes, particularly fear and agitation whenever Sule was around.
The matter was later disclosed to a local pastor before being reported to the Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), which subsequently transferred the case to NAPTIP for investigation and prosecution.
During the trial, the prosecution called five witnesses, including the victim’s mother, and tendered seven exhibits, among them medical reports confirming the injuries and trauma suffered by the child.
Although the defendants pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned in October 2023, the court found them guilty on all charges.
Reacting to the judgment, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, described the ruling as a major victory for justice.
Bello expressed excitement “that indeed adequate justice which, is commensurate with the magnitude of the crime committed by the convicts, was duly served on them.
“This will go a long way to assuage the pain and traumatic experience of the victim and her family.”
The NAPTIP boss added that the conviction reflected strengthened enforcement measures under the VAPP Act.
She issued a warning to service providers, saying, “It will no longer be business as usual for them.”
Bello also advised Nigerians to be more careful when employing domestic workers and service providers.
“I also want to use this medium to appeal again to all Nigerians, especially parents and school owners, to ensure they carry out due diligence and strict profiling on any service providers including drivers, security guards, and babysitters before employing them,” she said.
The victim’s mother commended NAPTIP and its legal team for securing justice for her daughter.
The convicts have since been moved to Kuje Correctional Centre to begin serving their life sentences.
