EHIME ALEX, Lagos
Director of Finance at the Sokoto State’s Urban and Regional Planning Board, Ahmed Yahaya and two other staff have been charged for alleged procurement and sexual exploitation of a 12-year-old female “Sachet” water seller by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The suspects were brought before the Federal High Court in Sokoto in a case with charge number FHC/7c/2020 by the Sokoto Zonal Command of NAPTIP, according to a statement on Tuesday by Adekoye Vincent, press officer of the agency.
The operatives of NAPTIP had arrested the three male suspects, Ahmed Yahaya, 45; Ibrahim Isah, 45, Sokoto state internal auditor; and Habibu Abdullahi, 40, special assistant to the finance director about three weeks ago, for the alleged offence.
It was stated that the case was referred to the Agency by the National Human Rights Commission, Sokoto state office after which it swooped on the suspects.
The statement narrated that detail of the case revealed that sometimes in May 2019, the victim came to the office of the suspects seeking financial assistance. The suspects were said to have taken the advantage of the vulnerability of the victim and had illicit sex with her one after the other at different times right inside the offices.
The last person that sexually devoured the 12 years old victim was the Special Assistant to the Director of Finance who, after knowing that his boss was not around, lured her inside the office and pummeled her sexually and thereafter gave her Three Hundred Naira only (N300.00).
In the charged sheet dated 17th February 2020, the suspects were slammed with a seven count charge all bordering on procurement for sexual exploitation contrary to Sections 16 (1), 27 (a) & 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 Maryam Muhammad ‘F’ 12 years old of Gidan Bahuri, Sokoto North Local Government area of Sokoto State in your office at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board (S.U.R.P.B.), 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 Habibu Abdullahi ‘M’40 years old of Bado, Hanya Dan Fari, Wammako Local Government area of Sokoto State sometimes in May 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured one Maryam Muhammad ‘F’ 12 years old of Gidan Bahuri, Sokoto North Local Government area of Sokoto State in your office at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board (S.U.R.P.B.), 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 Local Government area of Sokoto State sometimes in May 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured one Maryam Muhammad ‘F’ 12 years old of Gidan Bahuri, Sokoto North Local Government area of Sokoto State in your office at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board (S.U.R.P.B.), 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 Local Government area, Habibu Abdullahi ‘M’40 years old of Bado Hanya Dan Fari Wammako Local Government area and Ahmad Yahaya ‘M’45 years old of No. 3 Gwiwa Tanki Gwiwa Low Cost Housing Estate, Wammako Local Government area all within Sokoto State sometimes in May 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired to procure one Maryam Muhammad ‘F’ 12 years old of Gidan Bahuri, Sokoto North Local Government area of Sokoto State in your various offices at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board (S.U.R.P.B.), you all subjected her to sexual exploitation with yourselves and all thereby commit an offence punishable under Se ctions 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 Local Government area of Sokoto State sometimes in May 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured one Nafisa Lawal Aliyu ‘F’ 16 years old of Gidan Bahuri, Sokoto North Local Government area of Sokoto State in your office at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board (S.U.R.P.B.), 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 Local Government area of Sokoto State sometimes in May 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured one Nafisa Lawal Aliyu ‘F’ 16 years old of Gidan Bahuri, Sokoto North Local Government area of Sokoto State in your office at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board (S.U.R.P.B.), 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 Habibu Abdullahi ‘M’40 years old of Bado, Hanya Dan Fari Wammako Local Government area and Ahmad Yahaya ‘M’45 years old of No. 3 Gwiwa Tanki Gwiwa Low Cost Housing Estate, Wammako Local Government area all within Sokoto State sometimes in May 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired to procure one Nafisa Lawal Aliyu ‘F’ 16 years old of Gidan Bahuri, Sokoto North Local Government area of Sokoto State in your various offices at Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board (S.U.R.P.B.), 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.”