50-year-old man sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping 11-year-old in Jigawa

The Jigawa State High Court No. 11 in Ringim has sentenced 50-year-old Abubakar Biniya to 10 years in prison for raping an 11-year-old girl.

Justice Muhammad El-Usman delivered the judgment on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. He found Biniya guilty of the offence.

Biniya lives in Galadanchi Quarters, Ringim Local Government Area. The court said he committed the offence in January 2024.

The Jigawa State Ministry of Justice prosecuted the case. The prosecution called six witnesses and presented five exhibits. They included a medical report.

Biniya testified in his defence. However, he did not call any other witness.

The judge considered Biniya’s plea for leniency before passing sentence. He also considered his status as a first-time offender.

Justice El-Usman also ordered Biniya to pay N500,000 in compensation to the victim.

The court directed the Ministry of Justice to add his name to the Jigawa State Sexual Offenders Register.

It also ordered radio stations to publicly announce his conviction. The order follows the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law No. 02 of 2021.

The parties have three months to appeal the judgment.

The court also discharged three defendants in separate cases on Tuesday.

They include 55-year-old Sale Kurma of Tsinaho Village, Taura LGA, and 22-year-old Mansur Ahmed of Tsira Village, Ringim LGA.

The two men faced rape charges.

The court also discharged Haruna Ahmadu of Marawa Village, Ringim LGA. He faced charges of criminal conspiracy and robbery.

The prosecution failed to prove the cases against the three defendants. The court therefore discharged them.