The Kano Division of the Federal High Court on Monday sentenced an 80-year-old man, Ya’u Abdullahi, to seven years’ imprisonment for sexually exploiting an eight-year-old girl.

The Kano Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) arraigned Mr Abdullahi of Layin Gidan Mai Unguwar Brigade Quarters Nassarawa Local Government for sexual exploitation.

The judge, S. M. Shu’aibu, held that the prosecution counsel had proven its case beyond the reasonable doubt.

“I hereby sentence Ya’u Abdullahi to seven years imprisonment without any option of fine,” the judge ruled.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel and Kano zonal commander NAPTIP, Abdullahi Babale, told the court that the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Kano Metropolitan, reported the matter to the agency on August 27.

He said the defendant committed the offence on August 26, 2024, at about 8:00 p.m. at Murtala Market Nassarawa Local Government Kano.

Mr Babale said the defendant lured the eight-year-old girl of Brigade Gama Nassarawa Local Government into a quiet place at Murtala Market and molested her.

The prosecution presented the defendant’s confessional statement and the victim’s testimony in Hausa and English language translation to the court to prove its case.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor said the offence contravenes section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and is punishable under Section 26(1) of TIP ACT 2015.

The defence counsel, Fatima Chabir, pleaded for leniency on behalf of Mr Abdullahi.

(NAN)