By Charles Pemu 
ABUJA,— In a judgment hailed as a major breakthrough in the fight against sexual violence, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced Abdullahi Abbass, a 19-year-old school teacher, to life imprisonment for the rape of a 9-year-old male pupil.
Justice Osho Adebiyi handed down the conviction on October 29, 2025, after Abbass was arraigned on two-count charges involving rape and sexual abuse.
According to a statement released by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the incident occurred in Kwali Area Council of the FCT on March 19, 2025. Abbass was working at a prominent school in Kwali and was the victim’s class teacher.
After school hours, the teacher sent another pupil to call the victim from his home. He then took the 9-year-old to his street and raped him through the anus.
Despite threats from the convict, the victim reported the incident to his mother, which led to Abbass’s arrest by the Police. The case was subsequently referred to NAPTIP for prosecution. The offense is punishable under Section 2 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, praised the judiciary for the landmark judgment, emphasizing its role in serving justice and deterring future offenders.
“This is a landmark judgment 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 stated.
She affirmed NAPTIP’s renewed commitment to combating domestic violence, rape, and sexual abuse, and thanked the Nigeria Police for their inter-agency collaboration in securing the conviction.