An FCT High Court has sentenced a 19-year-old school teacher, Abdullahi Abbass, to life imprisonment for the defilement of a 9-year-old male pupil. The ruling marks a significant conviction in the fight against sexual violence in Nigeria.
Justice Osho Adebiyi delivered the judgment after finding Abbass guilty of rape and sexual abuse, charges brought under the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.
According to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which prosecuted the case, the convict was the victim’s class teacher at a school in Kwali. The incident occurred on March 19, 2025, when Abbass lured the child from his home after school hours and assaulted him.
Despite threats from the teacher, the brave victim reported the crime to his mother, leading to Abbass’s arrest. The NAPTIP Director General commended the judiciary for the landmark judgment, stating it serves as a strong deterrent and that the offender’s name will be entered into the Sex Offenders Register.
