Court awards N10m damages to minor molested by family friend

Nuradeen Sagir, acting chief judge of Kano state, has ruled in favour of a minor over the violation of her fundamental human right.

The minor was allegedly sexually abused by a close confidant of her family around May 2016, when she was only six months old.

Muttaka Muhammad, the accused, was reported to the Kano state public defender’s office (PDO) in June 2017.

The case was subsequently filed on August 15, through a joint action of Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative (Partners West Africa Nigeria) and the father of the minor.

Sagir, in his ruling, granted all the reliefs requested in the case and awarded N10m as compensation for special damages, and for cost incurred in nursing the minor back to health.

Commenting on the case, Partners West Africa harped on the need for the adoption of child right act in Kano state to stem the tide of violence against minors.

“The objectives of the Nigerian constitution are the promotion and protection of human rights and it also provides that every person regardless of their gender has a right to life and also the right to human dignity,” the group’s statement read.

“The Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative…uses this medium to call on all partners, stakeholders across Nigeria to re-examine the challenges as well as the gaps surrounding the possibility of adoption and passage of the child right act in Kano state.

“We believe that this will serve as deterrence to others and stop violation particularly against children, young persons and women.”