The Supreme Court of Nigeria has affirmed the 12-year prison sentence handed to Dauda Sani Haladu for raping his 15-year-old domestic worker in Abuja.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, describing the judgment as a landmark victory in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence.
According to the agency, the apex court delivered its final judgment on May 8, 2026, upholding the conviction and sentence earlier imposed by an FCT High Court presided over by Justice M.A. Nasir in 2021.
NAPTIP stated that the incident occurred on March 11, 2017, when the convict allegedly took advantage of the absence of his wife and children to sexually assault the teenage victim at their residence in Abuja.
The agency further revealed that the convict threatened the victim in an attempt to prevent her from speaking about the incident. However, the victim later confided in a school official, which led to NAPTIP’s intervention and the defendant’s arraignment on November 11, 2017, under Section 1(2) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.
To protect the identity of the minor, the victim’s name was withheld by the agency.
NAPTIP noted that the Supreme Court judgment reinforces the commitment of law enforcement and the judiciary to ensuring justice for survivors of sexual violence, particularly vulnerable children and domestic workers.
The agency added that the ruling sends a strong message that perpetrators of gender-based violence will be held accountable under the law.
