27-Year-Old Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Raping 8-Year-Old Girl in Niger State

A Niger State High Court has sentenced a 27-year-old man, Hussaini Suleiman, to seven years in prison after he pleaded guilty to raping an eight-year-old girl in Minna, Niger State.

The case was handled by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) after the matter was referred to the agency for investigation.

According to NAPTIP, the incident happened at Suleiman’s residence located behind the Prison Quarters in Minna.

Case Reported to Authorities

The matter was referred to the Niger State Command of NAPTIP by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on April 16, 2026.

The referral followed a report concerning the alleged rape of the eight-year-old girl.

NAPTIP subsequently investigated the case and took steps to ensure that the suspect was brought before the court.

The agency said Suleiman admitted to committing the offence during the investigation.

Suspect Appears in Court

Suleiman was later arraigned before Court 8 of the Niger State High Court in Minna.

The case came up before Justice Binta Bawa on September 10, 2026.

When the charge was read to him in court, Suleiman pleaded guilty to the offence.

Following his guilty plea, the court convicted him and sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment.

Court Delivers Sentence

The sentence means Suleiman will spend seven years in prison as punishment for the offence.

The conviction followed his admission of guilt in court and the presentation of the case before the judge.

The case also highlights the serious legal consequences of sexual offences against children and the role of law enforcement agencies in bringing suspected offenders before the courts.

NAPTIP Handles Child Protection Cases

NAPTIP is one of the agencies involved in investigating and prosecuting cases connected to trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable people.

The agency works with other government bodies and law enforcement organisations when cases involving children and other vulnerable persons are reported.

In this case, the NSCDC first received the report before referring