Hisbah Commission in Sokoto on Monday confirmed the arrest of three people alleged to have circulated a video on social media while sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl.
The victim was said to be scheduled to get married on October 17, but the marriage was called off as a result of the viral video circulated by the suspects.
The state Hisbah Commandant, Dr Adamu Kasarawa, told journalists in Sokoto that the principal suspect, son of a political appointee in the state, and his two friends would be handed over to relevant authorities for prosecution.
Kasarawa said the commission had concluded investigations into the matter and would ensure the prosecution of the case.
The mother of the victim said the principal suspect sexually abused her daughter sometime in 2017 when she was 16 years old.
She alleged that the suspect stored the video clips for three years with the intention of destroying her daughter’s life.
“Exactly on June 20, 2020, I received a call from Lagos on the circulated video of my nude daughter being sexually abused by Baffa Hayatu Tafida.
“The suspects shared the clips to my daughter’s suitor along with other online groups,” she said.
According to her, marriage arrangements have been concluded for her daughter, scheduled for October 17, this year, when Baffa released the video of him sexually abusing the girl.
She said the ugly development made the would-be groom to withdraw from the proposed marriage.
She complained that all attempts to get the Department of State Services and the National Human Right Commission in Sokoto to pursue the matter proved abortive.
“I was disappointed with the two institutions’ inaction,” she said, and thanked the Hisbah commission for the prompt intervention.
