The Supreme Court of Nigeria has upheld the 12-year prison sentence handed to a 42-year-old man, Dauda Sani Haladu, for raping his 15-year-old domestic worker in Abuja.
The judgment, delivered on May 8, 2026, was disclosed by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons in a statement on Monday, which described the ruling as a major victory in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria.
According to NAPTIP, the offence occurred on March 11, 2017, when the convict allegedly took advantage of the absence of his wife and children to assault the teenage girl at their Abuja residence.
The agency said the victim was threatened afterwards in an attempt to stop her from speaking out about the incident.
However, the teenager later confided in a school official, a development that led to NAPTIP’s intervention and the eventual prosecution of the suspect.
Haladu was arraigned on November 11, 2017, under Section 1(2) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.
An FCT High Court presided over by Justice M.A. Nasir convicted and sentenced him to 12 years imprisonment in 2021.
With the Supreme Court now affirming the judgment, the case has effectively reached its final legal conclusion.
Reacting to the ruling, NAPTIP said the judgment sends a strong message that offenders who prey on vulnerable persons, especially children and domestic workers, will be brought to justice.
“This final judgment serves as a stern reminder that the law is patient but persistent,” the agency stated.
NAPTIP also reiterated its commitment to pursuing perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence across the country.
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