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NAPTIP rescues 14-year-old victim of domestic abuse
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Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have rescued a 14-year-old female victim of domestic abuse.
The girl, according to a viral video, was subjected to severe maltreatment, abuse, and exploitation after being recruited by a prominent Abuja socialite and wife of a public office holder in Sokoto.
The victim, Bashariyya Usman is the firstborn and only female child of Malam Usman Aliyu.
Her family members were victims of banditry in Dan Gyalla village, Faru ward, Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State. They fled violence to seek shelter in the IDP camps around Gwiwa Eka Area of Sokoto State.
Details of how she was employed, abused and eventually rescued are contained in a statement issued yesterday by NAPTIP’s Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye.
The statement read: “She was recently discovered by concerned people within the neighbourhood, in a deplorable state, unable to walk, and showing signs of fainting due to extreme starvation and dehumanization, and promptly reported her situation to members of the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), who immediately escalated the report to NAPTIP.
“Investigation revealed that in January 2025, a female indigene of Sokoto State residing in Abuja and wife of a Sokoto State Government Official returned for holidays and expressed to her friend, a nurse and neighbour to the IDP camp, that she needed domestic help to wash dishes.”
NAPTIP noted that Bashariyya, who was residing in the camp, was recommended and permission from her mother was sought. The mother granted permission and the daughter was allowed to assist for a day.
On how the abuse began, the agency stated: “Pleased with Bashirayya’s work, the suspect offered to retain her services and promised to pay ₦10,000 monthly.
“Three months later, the suspect requested that Bashariyya follow her to Abuja, promising to enrol her in both formal and Islamic schools. She also pledged to remit ₦10,000 monthly to the family through Maryam.
“Sadly, three months later, the once dutiful and helpless girl was subjected to severe maltreatment. She was beaten, tortured, and locked in a dark room. One of suspect’s maids was instructed to feed her only one cup of gari daily.
“A man was brought in to perform rituals, spraying what Bashariyya described as spiritual water on her body while she cried in pain, which caused burns all over her body.
“For several weeks, Bashariyya remained locked up, malnourished, unbathed, and emotionally distressed. The same man came back and poured spiritual water on her hands and legs while crying and begging for mercy every day, without any response”.
The statement continues: “Fearing that the poor girl might die in her house, the woman eventually returned her to Sokoto and handed her over to Maryam, claiming that Bashariyya had “spiritual issues” and that she had tried to help but failed.
“Bashariyya was rushed to several hospitals in Sokoto for emergency medical care, but unfortunately, hospitals were reluctant to admit her, and when the suspect got information that NAPTIP had waded into the matter, some stern-looking locals were allegedly recruited by the suspect and prevented anyone from having access to the then-dying girl.
“Following the intervention of the Director General of NAPTIP, the girl was eventually rescued by the Operatives of the Agency, admitted to one of the hospitals in Sokoto for urgent medical treatment, before she was airlifted to Abuja Friday evening.”
Speaking after receiving the girl at the NAPTIP’s headquarters,
the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, said: “This is one of the highest forms of inhumanity to humans. Bashariyya is exhibiting visible signs of physical abuse, and we can see scars, bruises (both fresh and healed), and burnt marks. She is severely malnourished, dehydrated, and emotionally unstable at the moment.
“There are indicators of trauma, both physical and psychological, resulting from prolonged abuse and neglect. The alleged perpetrator exploited the vulnerability of an internally displaced family and manipulated the child’s labour under false promises.
“She was allegedly falsely accused, a common tactic used to justify violence and neglect against the vulnerable. The girl’s brutal treatment included physical abuse, starvation, and psychological torment, all under the guise of alleged accusations.
“Having narrowly escaped with her parents from the bandits who invaded their Community in Zamfara State, one would have thought that Bashariya and her family would enjoy relative peace, assistance, and protection from some privileged members of the society; sadly, the reverse is the case for this innocent girl. The suspect preyed on her vulnerability, the perceived impoverished and helpless status of her parent, and further traumatized her, thereby amounting to double jeopardy.
“For clarity, this girl was recruited from Sokoto and transported to Abuja, where she was abused and exploited. Therefore, NAPTIP shall coordinate the prosecution of the suspect, ensuring that justice is served.”
The DG pledged commitment to providing necessary medical, psychological, and rehabilitative support to the girl as she begins her recovery process.
“The young girl’s condition highlights the urgent need for continued vigilance and intervention in cases of child abuse and trafficking in Nigeria. We are deeply committed to protecting the vulnerable and combating all forms of exploitation, including any fabricated and baseless accusations used to justify abuse. We remain resolute in our efforts to ensure justice for Bashariya and to rehabilitate her.”
The DG lauded the partnership and effort of NACTAL, as led by its National President, Abdulganiyu Abubakar, in the case, and urged other stakeholders to emulate them.
“We urge members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to child trafficking, abuse, or exploitation to NAPTIP or its partners across the Country”.
The National President of NACTAL, Abdulganiyu Abubakar, commended the NAPTIP boss for her timely response in rescuing the girl and assured her of more support in ensuring justice for the victim.
By Gloria Ikibah
A member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Kolawole Akinlayo, has urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to strictly apply the provisions of the Electoral Act in resolving the controversy surrounding the party’s primary election for Ekiti North Federal Constituency II.
Akinlayo, who represents Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido Osi Federal Constituency in the House, made the appeal while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, following a petition he submitted to the APC National Chairman and the party’s National Assembly Appeal Committee over the outcome of the primary election held on 16 May.
The lawmaker argued that compliance with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, as well as the APC Constitution, is essential to safeguarding the credibility of the party’s internal democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He maintained that the rule of law should take precedence over political considerations, warning that any departure from the Electoral Act could weaken confidence in the party’s candidate selection process and expose the APC to avoidable legal disputes.
Akinlayo also challenged the eligibility of the aspirant declared winner of the primary, Kunle Ibrahim, contending that he did not meet the legal requirements to contest the election.
According to the lawmaker, Ibrahim was still serving as a Special Assistant in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation at the time the primary was conducted and remained on the government payroll until May 2026.
He insisted that the party should carefully review the facts surrounding the matter and ensure that its final decision is consistent with both the Electoral Act and its own constitution to protect the integrity of the nomination process.
Akinlayo argued that Ibrahim’s participation violated Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which provides that:
“A political appointee at any level shall not be a voting delegate or be voted for during party conventions, congresses or primaries of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”
Citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Tukur v. Mustapha (2023), the federal lawmaker contended that political appointees seeking elective office must first resign their appointments before participating in party primaries.
“The purported winner is not qualified to participate in the primary election by virtue of Section 88(1) and his participation, in the eyes of the law, is a nullity ab initio,” he argued.
Beyond the issue of eligibility, Akinlayo alleged that the primary election was marred by widespread irregularities in several wards across the constituency.
Akinlayo further alleged that the primary election was marred by widespread irregularities, including the absence of voter accreditation in some polling areas, inflated vote figures in others, voter suppression and disruption of the exercise in locations where he claimed to enjoy significant support.
He also accused certain local government and party officials of compromising the integrity of the process by serving as returning officers despite having vested interests in the outcome of the election.
Citing the alleged violations, the lawmaker called on the APC leadership to apply the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act by disqualifying Kunle Ibrahim from the contest on the grounds of ineligibility and recognising him as the lawful winner, having emerged second in the primary.
As an alternative, he urged the party’s National Assembly Appeal Committee to cancel the results from the affected wards and order a fresh primary election restricted to aspirants who meet the legal requirements.
The dispute has emerged as one of the earliest major internal challenges facing the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the party expected to conclude its appeal process before forwarding the names of its candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The controversy has also renewed attention on Section 88 of the Electoral Act, 2026, which reflects provisions contained in the Electoral Act, 2022 concerning the participation of political appointees in party primaries. The issue has repeatedly come before the courts, with the Supreme Court affirming in Tukur v. Mustapha that political appointees must resign their appointments before contesting or participating in party primaries as either aspirants or delegates.
The decision of the APC’s appeal panel is expected to determine who eventually flies the party’s flag in the 2027 House of Representatives election for Ekiti North Federal Constituency II.
A helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia killed 14 Saudi citizens on Sunday, the kingdom’s official press agency reported, adding that the aircraft belonged to state oil giant Aramco.
The Saudi Press Agency, citing an official at the energy ministry, reported the helicopter crashed in Ras Tanura in the country’s east.
“The accident claimed the lives of all 14 passengers, all Saudi citizens,” the agency said, adding that an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the crash.
Aramco says it operates more than 60 aircraft, including helicopters serving more than 300 heliports in Saudi Arabia, making it one of the largest corporate fleets in the region.
The deadly accident comes as oil-rich Gulf nations seek to ramp up their output following Iranian attacks and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the export of oil and gas.
The Gulf monarchy did not indicate the incident was in any way connected to a hostile attack.
During the Middle East war, Iranian attacks had targeted energy facilities in the Gulf.
Ras Tanura is home to one of the largest refineries in the Middle East, with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day, and is critical to Saudi Arabia’s energy sector.
The refinery has been targeted several times, notably during an Iranian drone attack at the beginning of the conflict, which caused a fire and forced a partial shutdown.
Riyadh said in April that the weeks-long attacks had disrupted several production operations at key facilities, with refineries in Ras Tanura as well as Jubail, Yanbu and Riyadh targeted.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading crude exporter, produces a little over 10 million bpd.
AFP
An Improvised Explosive Device, IED, planted by alleged bandits along the Kurawa–Sabon Birni road in Sokoto State on Sunday hit a vehicle, killing one person and injuring many passengers.
The incident raised fresh concerns over the growing use of explosive devices by criminal groups operating in parts of the North-West.
The vehicle was said to be conveying passengers from surrounding communities to Sabon Birni when it ran over the explosive device, triggering a blast that severely damaged the vehicle and left several occupants injured.
A security analyst based in the area, Bashir Guyawa, disclosed the incident in a post on his Facebook page.
Guyawa described the incident as another reminder of the persistent security challenges confronting communities along the border axis.
He said the vehicle was on a routine passenger trip when the explosion occurred.
“The vehicle was conveying passengers early this morning on their way to Sabon Birni when the unfortunate incident happened,” he wrote.
Ekiti APC Primary: Lawmaker Urges Party to Enforce Electoral Act Over Candidate’s Eligibility
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