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The police have arraigned two men before a senior magistrate’s court in Minna for allegedly gang-raping a 13-year-old girl.
The defendants, Awal Bala, 40, and Danjuma Ibrahim, 43, popularly known as DJ, face a two-count charge of receiving stolen property and unlawful sexual intercourse with a child.
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The prosecution alleged that the defendants, who reside at the same address, lured the teenager into their residence with a stolen chicken before allegedly having sexual intercourse with her several times.
Prosecuting counsel, Zubairu Wuna, told the court that police investigations established that the two men allegedly used the stolen chicken to entice the girl into their house, where the alleged sexual assault took place.
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According to the prosecution, the offences are punishable under Section 316 of the Niger State Penal Code Law 2025 and Section 26(2) of the Niger State Child Rights and Protection Law 2021, as amended.
When the charges were read to them before Senior Magistrate Ummi Imam, both defendants pleaded not guilty.
Defence counsel, Jerry Ekeh, subsequently made an oral application for their bail, arguing that his clients were presumed innocent until proven guilty by the court.
The prosecution, however, opposed the application, arguing that one of the offences was capital in nature.
In her ruling, the magistrate, Mrs Imam, refused the bail application, stressing that the grant of bail remained at the discretion of the court.
“In view of the capital nature of one of the charges against the defendants, the bail application is hereby refused,” the magistrate ruled.
The court consequently ordered that the defendants be remanded in correctional custody and adjourned the case until 19 August for definite hearing.
Background: Another gang-rape of a 13-year-old
The case comes barely two months after a senior magistrate’s court in Minna sentenced four men to a combined 95 years in prison for gang-raping and impregnating a 13-year-old girl in Kontagora, Niger State.
The convicts — Salisu Baura, Lawali Sha’ibu, Haruna Sa’idu and Bello — were convicted of joint act and unlawful sexual intercourse with a child. The court described their conduct as “animalistic, inhuman, and heartless.”
The girl was reportedly subjected to sexual abuse by the men in 2023, resulting in her pregnancy.
READ ALSO: Anambra court sentences two to death for rape, murder of 17-yr-old
The suspects were arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Kontagora.
In another reported incident, PREMIUM TIMES reported in November 2025 that three suspected terrorists allegedly raped a 13-year-old girl in Kudodo community, Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State.
The girl was reportedly returning from Galadima Kogo market when the incident occurred and was subsequently hospitalised.
The recurring cases have continued to raise concerns about the protection of children and the need for stronger enforcement of child-protection laws in Niger State.
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