A Chief Magistrate Court in Kaduna has remanded 10 suspects at the correctional facility following their alleged involvement in the rape of a 16-year-old disabled girl from Likoro village, Kudan Local Government Area.
The victim, identified as Fatima Maikanti, became pregnant as a result of the repeated sexual assaults, which allegedly occurred over a period of time. She delivered a baby boy four months ago. The 11th suspect is still at large.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the victim was lured into the homes of the suspects and sexually assaulted at various intervals. The incidents were reported to authorities by the victim’s brother, Usman Yusuf, on October 27, 2024, after he discovered that his sister was six months pregnant.
The prosecutor, Inspector Yakubu I. Lemu, stated that the suspects’ actions violated Section 257 of the Kaduna State Penal Code, which criminalizes rape. Investigation revealed that each of the suspects had intercourse with the victim at different times and locations within the village, leading to the pregnancy.
The trial judge, Justice Abubakar Lamido, adjourned the matter to May 22, 2025, for further proceedings, noting that the case would be transferred to the High Court. In the meantime, the 10 suspects have been remanded in the correctional center.
Speaking to journalists after the court session, Hajiya Rabi Salisu, the Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development in Kaduna State, condemned the crime and assured that the state government would pursue the case until justice is served.
Salisu revealed that the victim, who also has one eye, faced further challenges as her parents are both blind. She emphasized that the state government had laws in place to protect women, children, and vulnerable individuals, including the Child Protection and Social Welfare Law and the Violence Against Persons (VAP) Law.
She also pointed out that the case had initially been suppressed by the former Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge, but it was reopened with the intervention of the current Commissioner of Police. The DPO had reportedly
She added, “The girl has given birth now to a child of four months old, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) that was handling the case and now retired had silence the case, but with the help of the Commissioner of Police (CP), the case has been reopened as a fresh case because the incident happen over a year now and she has a four month old child.
“The former DPO arrested them and also released them on bail, capital offense is not supposed to be granted bail that is why we reopened the case as a fresh case to rearrest them.
She thanked the commissioner of Police and his team for their quick action of re-arresting the suspects and assured that the state will do everything within the ambit of the law to ensure the victim gets justice.
She disclosed that the state government will take care of the social welfare of the child and the mother “because she is also a child, so they are going to be under our care for their social protection.”
She then sent a firm warning to the general public that the state government will not tolerate any act of abuse, torture and molestation of women, children and especially, people with disability.
