A Niger State High Court in Minna has sentenced 27-year-old Hussaini Suleiman to seven years in prison for raping an eight-year-old girl.
Justice Binta Bawa of Court 8 convicted Suleiman after he pleaded guilty.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) announced the conviction in a statement on Friday. The agency said the incident happened at Suleiman’s home behind the Prison Quarters in Minna.
NAPTIP explained that the case was sent to its Niger State office by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) after the incident was reported.
“The convict admitted to committing the offence and was arraigned before Court 8 of the Niger State High Court, Minna,” the agency said.
This conviction comes at a time when there are growing concerns about increasing cases of sexual violence and child abuse in the state.
In August, the Niger State Child Rights Protection Agency reported 192 cases involving children between November 2025 and June 2026.
These cases included rape, maltreatment, child trafficking, forced marriage, abandonment, and denial of child maintenance.
In June, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hadiza Idris Kuta, also expressed concern about rising cases of rape, child abuse, and other types of gender-based violence in the state.