A Minna Senior Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 25-year-old man, Bala Aliyu, to 13 years in prison and ordered him to receive 20 strokes of the cane for sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl in Bosso area of Minna, Niger State.

Senior Magistrate, Samira Jibrin Wambai of Court No. 9, also ordered Aliyu to pay ₦250,000 compensation to the victim.

The sentence was enforced at the palace of the District Head of Bosso, Malam Muazu Adamu Laka, where Aliyu received the 20 strokes in the presence of members of his family and the wider community.

The case was prosecuted by the Niger State Child Rights Protection Agency, NSCRPA, led by its Director-General, Ummul-Kalthume Muhammed.

Reacting to the judgment, Muhammed described it as a significant step in the fight against child sexual abuse and gender-based violence.

She warned perpetrators that the state would not shield them from justice, while urging communities to stop protecting offenders and report suspected cases of abuse to the authorities.

Prosecuting counsel from the Niger State Ministry of Justice, Aisha Ashafa, also described the judgment as a precedent-setting decision.

Ashafa disclosed that the victim’s mother had initially considered withdrawing the case before eventually allowing the legal process to continue after understanding the importance of pursuing justice.

She urged parents, traditional rulers and community members to promptly report suspected cases of child abuse to the NSCRPA or the police.

The District Head of Bosso, Malam Muazu Adamu Laka, also expressed satisfaction with the enforcement of the court order, saying it would help residents understand the seriousness of child sexual abuse and serve as a deterrent to others.