A 19-year-old class teacher, Abdullahi Abbass has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a 9-year-old pupil (names withheld).
Justice M. Osho-Adebiyi, of a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Abuja convicted him on October 29, 2025.
How court found class teacher guilty
The court ruled that the evidence before the court was overwhelming and that the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court noted that the convict, a class teacher sent another pupil to call the victim after school hours, then took him down the street where he lived and committed the heinous act.
The court noted that despite threats from the convict, the survivor confided in his mother, who reported the case to the Police.
The matter was later transferred to NAPTIP for diligent investigation and prosecution.
The court therefore sentenced Abbass to life imprisonment without the option of a fine.
The convict who worked as a class teacher in one of the foremost schools in Kwali, was found guilty of sodomising his pupil after luring him out of his home on March 19, 2025.
The defendant was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on rape and sexual abuse, an offence punishable under Section 2 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.
NAPTIP reacts
In a statement made available by the agency’s Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, disclosed that Binta Adamu Bello, the Director General, NAPTIP has reacted to the judgement.
She hailed the court’s decision as both “a commensurable punishment and a deterrent.”
According to her, “This is a landmark judgement that carries the commensurable punishment for the offender. This will serve as a deterrent, and his name shall feature prominently in our Sex Offenders Register.”
Bello further commended the Judiciary for delivering justice swiftly and the Nigeria Police for its collaboration.
She added that the conviction underscores NAPTIP’s renewed commitment to fighting domestic violence, rape, and other forms of sexual exploitation through strengthened capacity and coordination.
Recall that NAPTIP had recently strengthened the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Department of the Agency through capacity building for its Operatives, thereby leading to swift intervention and diligent prosecution of all cases.
