27-Year-Old Man Jailed Seven Years For Raping 8-Year-Old Girl In Niger State | Sahara Reporters
According to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the incident occurred at the convict’s residence behind the Prison Quarters in Minna, Niger State.
A Niger State High Court sitting in Minna has sentenced a 27-year-old man, Hussaini Suleiman, to seven years in prison for raping an eight-year-old girl.
Suleiman was convicted by Justice Binta Bawa of Court 8 of the Niger State High Court, Minna, after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
According to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the incident occurred at the convict’s residence behind the Prison Quarters in Minna, Niger State.
The agency said the case was referred to its Niger State Command by the Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) following a report of the incident.
“The convict admitted to committing the offence and was arraigned before Court 8 of the Niger State High Court, Minna,” NAPTIP said.
The conviction comes amid concerns over cases of sexual violence and child abuse in Niger State.
In August 2026, the Niger State Child Rights Protection Agency said it had recorded 192 cases involving children between November 2025 and June 2026. The cases included rape, maltreatment, child trafficking, forced marriage, abandonment and denial of child maintenance.
In June, the Niger State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hadiza Idris Kuta, also raised concerns over what she described as increasing cases of rape, child abuse and other forms of gender-based violence in the state.
The National Human Rights Commission says Nigerian children are entitled to protection from abuse and exploitation, while the Child Rights Act provides a legal framework for safeguarding children’s rights.
Under Section 31 of the Child Rights Act 2003, sexual intercourse with a child constitutes rape, with the law prescribing life imprisonment upon conviction. However, application of child-protection legislation varies across Nigeria because states are required to domesticate the Child Rights Act.
NAPTIP did not disclose the date the offence occurred or provide further details about the victim, in line with the need to protect the identity and privacy of a child survivor.