A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja has sentenced 19-year-old school teacher, Abdullahi Abbass, to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of sexually assaulting a nine-year-old pupil in the Kwali Area Council.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the National Press Officer of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Vincent Adekoye, who described the ruling as another significant victory in the ongoing campaign against sexual offences in Nigeria.
Court filings revealed that Abbass was a class teacher at a well-known school in Kwali, and on 19 March 2025, he lured the child from home after school hours. He later took the victim to a nearby location within his neighbourhood where he sexually violated him.
Although initially threatened by the convict, the minor relayed the experience to his mother, leading to Abbass’ arrest by the Police and the eventual transfer of the matter to NAPTIP for prosecution. The offences fall under Section 2 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) 2015. He faced two counts bordering on rape and sexual abuse, and was convicted on 29 October 2025.
Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, applauded the judgment, describing it as an appropriate response to the gravity of the crime. She emphasised that the ruling strengthens the agency’s resolve to battle rape, domestic violence and other forms of sexual exploitation nationwide.
“This judgment is a strong deterrent,” she said, adding that Abbass’ name will be entered into the national sex offenders register. She also commended the Police and the Judiciary for their swift collaboration that made the prosecution successful.
13 Confirmed Dead After Massive Landslide Sweeps Through Kenya’s Rift Valley
Source:Africa Publicity
