The Sokoto State Hisbah Commission has 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, 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 (name withheld) 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.
According to her, marriage arrangements have been concluded for her daughter, scheduled for October 17, this year, when Baffa released the phonographic 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.
The victim’s mother claimed that the father of the principal suspect had made attempts to induce her in order to drop the case, and threatened her on different occasions when she refused.
Hayatu Tafida, the father of the principal suspect, confirmed knowledge of the case, he however denied inducing the victim’s mother or threatening her.
