School Teacher, 19, Bags Life Sentence Over Alleged Rape Of Boy, 9

AISHA ABUBAKAR 

A 19-year-old school teacher, Abdullahi Abbass, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the alleged rape and sexual abuse of a 9-year-old, who was his pupil, in Kwali area of the FCT, Abuja.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja found him guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment accordingly.

The Presiding judge, Justice M. Osho-Adebiyi, delivered the judgment after convicting Abbass on two counts of rape and sexual assault for violating Section 2 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.

The judge described the offense as “heinous and deserving of the maximum penalty,” ensuring the sentence carried no option of a fine.

During the trial, the prosecution told the Court that Abbass was the victim’s class teacher. He lured the young boy from his home on March 19, 2025, sexually assaulted him and warned him not to tell his parents what happened.

However, despite the threats from the teacher, the victim bravely reported the incident to his mother, which led to the suspect’s arrest by the Police and subsequent transfer to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for diligent prosecution.

NAPTIP’s Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, hailed the ruling as a “landmark judgment,” praising the swift and effective collaboration between the Police and NAPTIP in the investigation and prosecution.

“This judgment carries a commensurate punishment for the offender and will serve as a deterrent to others,” Bello stated. “His name will be entered into the Sex Offenders Register as part of our zero-tolerance approach to sexual violence.”

Bello reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and children from sexual abuse, noting that NAPTIP has recently strengthened its Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Department to enhance the investigation and prosecution of such crimes.
She also lauded the judiciary and the Nigeria Police Force for their effective collaboration in delivering justice for the victim.