The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons on Tuesday said it has charged a 45-year-old Director of Finance in the Sokoto State Urban and Regional Planning Board, Ahmed Yahaya, and two other staff of the board, for alleged procurement and sexual exploitation of a 12-year-old female ‘Sachet’ water seller (name withheld).

NAPTIP Press Officer, Mr. Vincent Adekoye , in a statement, also identified the two other suspects as the Sokoto State Internal Auditor, Mr. Ibrahim Isah (46) and the Special Assistant to the Director of Finance, Mr. Habibu Abdullahi (40).

According to him, the suspects have been charged at the Federal High Court, Sokoto in a case with charge number FHC/7c/2020, by the Sokoto Zonal Command of NAPTIP. He, however, said the suit had not been assigned to a judge.

He said detail of the case revealed that sometimes in May 2019, the victim came to the office of the suspects seeking financial assistance.

He added that the suspects allegedly took advantage of the vulnerability of the victim and allegedly had illicit sex with her, one after the other, at different times inside their offices.

Adekoye stated that the last person that sexually devoured the 12-year-old victim was Abdullahi, who, after knowing that his boss was not around, allegedly lured her inside the office and allegedly pummelled her sexually and thereafter gave her N300.00.

He also said Yahaya and Abdullahi also allegedly sexually exploited another victim, a 16-year-old girl (name withheld).

He stated that the suspects were arrested by the agency about three weeks ago, for the alleged offences, after the cases were referred to the agency by the National Human Rights Commission, Sokoto State office.

He said the charged sheet was dated February 17, adding that the suspects were slammed with a seven-count, all bordering on procurement for sexual exploitation contrary to Sections 16 (1), 27 (a) and 16 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

The charges read:

“That you Ibrahim Isah (m) 46 years old of No. 7 Aliero Road Runjin Sambo, Sokoto North Local Government area of Sokoto State sometimes in May 2019 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court procured one (Name withheld) ‘F’ 12 years old in your office at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board. You subjected her to sexual exploitation with yourself and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

“That you Habibu Abdullahi (m) 40 years old of Bado, Hanya Dan Fari, Wammako LGA of Sokoto State sometimes in May 2019 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court procured one (name withheld) (f) 12 years old in your office at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board. You subjected her to sexual exploitation with yourself and thereby commit an offence punishable under Section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

“That you Ahmad Yahaya (m) 45 years old of No. 3 Gwiwa Tanki Gwiwa Low Cost Housing Estate, Wammako LGA of Sokoto State sometimes in May 2019 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court procured one (name withheld) in your office at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board. You subjected her to sexual exploitation with yourself and thereby commit an offence punishable under Section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

“That you Ibrahim Isah (m) 46 years old of No. 47 Aliero Road Runjin Sambo, Sokoto North LGA; Habibu Abdullahi (m) 40 years old of Bado Hanya Dan Fari Wammako LGA and Ahmad Yahaya (m) 45 years old of No. 3 Gwiwa Tanki Gwiwa Low Cost Housing Estate, Wammako LGA all within Sokoto State sometimes in May 2019 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court conspired to procure one (name withheld) in your various offices at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board, you all subjected her to sexual exploitation with yourselves and all thereby committed an offence punishable under Sections 27 (a) & 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

“That you Habibu Abdullahi (m) 40 years old of Bado, Hanya Dan Fari Wammako LGA of Sokoto State sometimes in May 2019 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court procured one (name withheld) (f) 16 years old in your office at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board, you subjected her to sexual exploitation with yourself and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

“That you Ahmad Yahaya (m) 45 years old of No. 3 Gwiwa Tanki Gwiwa Low Cost Housing Estate, Wammako LGA of Sokoto State sometimes in May 2019 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court procured one (name withheld) (f) 16 years old in your office at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board. You subjected her to sexual exploitation with yourself and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

“That you Habibu Abdullahi (m) 40 years old of Bado, Hanya Dan Fari Wammako LGA and Ahmad Yahaya (m) 45 years old of No. 3 Gwiwa Tanki Gwiwa Low Cost Housing Estate, Wammako LGA, all within Sokoto State sometimes in May 2019 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court conspired to procure one (name withheld) (f) 16 years old in your various offices at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board. You all subjected her to sexual exploitation with yourselves and all thereby commit an offence punishable under Sections 27 (a) & 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.”