The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says it secured the conviction and life imprisonment of two guards, James Sule, 30 and Adamu Yau, 25, for serial rape of a six-year-old girl.

A statement by NAPTIP Press and Public Relations officer, Vincent Adekoye, in Abuja on Friday, said that the convicts were based in Abuja.

Mr Adekoye said that the convicts were handed life imprisonment, without the option of fine, by Justice S.M. Mayana of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court 46, Apo, Abuja, following their arraignment by NAPTIP.

He said that the convicts were arraigned in line with the provisions of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) (VAPP) Act, 2025.

The spokesman added that the development was hailed by a cross section of stakeholders and members of the civil society organisations (CSO) across the country.

According to Mr Adekoye, the development is in furtherance of the renewed commitment and determination by the present management of NAPTIP to step up the implementation of the VAPP Law and ensure commensurate justice for victims of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in the country.

Mr Adekoye stated that the victim, was constantly defiled when she was six years old in 2016 till 2022, when she was 12 years when the matter was reported.

The victim recounted that in 2016, her grandmother engaged the service of James Sule, who was then their family security guard, to repair a broken toilet in their residence at Penthouse Estate, Lugbe, Abuja.

The victim recounted that while her grandmother returned to the kitchen, Sule remained in the toilet, adding that she was crying on the bed in the room over a cello tape she spoiled when Sule called her into the toilet.

The victim said that Sule assured her he would help prevent her grandmother from punishing her, then locked the door, forcibly removed her pants, and defiled her while covering her mouth, and later brought out a knife and, threatened her not to tell anyone.

She said that it marked the beginning of repeated sexual abuse, fear, pain, and trauma that continued for six years.

Meanwhile, the NAPTIP press officer stated that in a move by the victim to share the sexual pleasure with his friends, Sule, later recruited two other guards in the estate, Adamu Yau, who is the second convict, and one Muhammed, now at large.

The NAPTIP press officer said that they all together had sex with the victim whenever opportunities arose, threatening to kill and wipe out her entire family if she spoke to anyone about their act with her.

He said that the victim endured the traumatic abuse in silence for about six years before her parents noticed troubling changes in her behaviour, and became visibly agitated whenever Sule entered the house and refused to let him escort her to school or pick her up from the school bus.

“In a bid to get an explanation for the sudden, strange behaviour of the little girl, her parents took her to a prayer house where she confided in the pastor that Sule, Yau, and Mohammed had been sexually abusing her, particularly whenever she returned from school before her parents arrived home.

“The parents immediately reported the matter to the Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), which subsequently transferred the case to NAPTIP and the convicts were immediately arrested.

“Following further investigation, charges were filed in court on February 9, 2023. Sule and Yau were arraigned on October 23 of the same year on two counts charge under Section 1(1), punishable under Section 1(2), and Section 5 of the VAPP Act 2015,” Mr Adekoye said.

He stated the convicts pleaded not guilty, when the trial commenced on December 5, 2023.

The prosecution presented five witnesses, including the victim’s mother, who testified tearfully.

The NAPTIP press officer said that seven exhibits were also tendered to support the case, including a medical report showing that the victim’s hymen was breached.

He said that the witnesses were cross-examined.

Speaking on the conviction, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu-Bello, commended the judiciary for the landmark judgment, which she described as a clear warning to all offenders across the country.

She said, “I am excited that indeed, adequate justice, which is commensurate with the magnitude of the crime committed by the convicts, was duly served on them.

“This will go a long way to assuage the pain and traumatic experience of the victim and her family.

“It is important to point out that this is one of the fallouts of our improved strategies aimed at tightening the noose on violators across the country through stringent implementation and enforcement of the provisions of the VAPP Act to ensure the protection of all Nigerians. It will no longer be business as usual for them.

“I want to use this medium to appeal again to all Nigerians, especially parents, school owners, and other stakeholders, to ensure that they carry out due diligence and strict profiling on any service providers before employing them.

“The service providers include drivers,

security guards, home lesson teachers, babysitters, cooks, and others. This is to avoid any unpleasant situation of this nature.

“NAPTIP appreciates the support and collaboration of the judiciary in the fight against SGBV, as well as the partnership from ARFH and other stakeholders,” Ms Adamu-Bello stated.

On her part, the mother of the victim (name withheld), in her response, thanked the management of NAPTIP, especially the counsel, for ensuring that justice was served on the violators of her daughter.

Mr Adekoye however, said that  the convicts had since been taken to the Kuje Correctional Centre as directed by the court, where they would spend the rest of their lives. 

(NAN)