Tuesday, June 30, 2026 - The Niger State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Hadiza Kuta, has confirmed the arrest of a police officer serving with the State Police Command for allegedly r@ping a 13-year-old girl.
Hajiya Kuta, who disclosed this in an interview with the
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in her office in Minna on Monday, June 29, 2026,
said two other suspects were also arrested for allegedly r@ping the same girl.
According to her, the victim was repeatedly r@ped by the
three suspects before the matter was reported to the ministry.
She explained that the victim’s parents reported the case to
the ministry for intervention, which led to the suspects’ arrest.
"The parents told the ministry that their efforts to
seek justice were consistently obstructed, which prompted them to seek the
ministry’s assistance,” she said.
Kuta expressed concern over the rising cases of rape
involving minors and teenagers.
She lamented that attempts were being made to divert
attention from the r@pe allegations by accusing the victim of stealing
livestock.
According to the commissioner, the suspects took advantage
of the girl after buying chickens from her.
She stressed the dangers of street hawking, especially for
girls.
The commissioner also lamented that the individuals accused
of r@pe were often granted bail shortly after arraignment.
She said such practices deny victims and their families
justice and embolden perpetrators to continue the act.
“It is distressing to observe that cases of this nature
frequently cause significant psychological trauma, undermining the educational
aspirations of young girls.
“The future of these children can be irreparably damaged by
the actions of the perpetrators,” she said.
She assured the victim’s family that the ministry
would pursue justice on their behalf.
“As part of its intervention, the ministry has relocated the
victim from her community to ensure her safety and has placed her under
protective custody,” she revealed.
Kuta said the girl would receive comprehensive medical care,
psychological evaluation, counselling, and other support services to assess the
physical and emotional impact of the abuse and aid her recovery.
She stressed the need for a thorough investigation, noting
that the charges filed against the suspects would determine the strength of the
prosecution’s case in court.
“The ministry hopes justice will prevail and reaffirmed its
commitment to protecting the rights and welfare of the victims,” she added
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