Hisbah Arrests Son Of Sokoto Gov’s Special Adviser Over Sexual Abuse Of Minor

Governor Tambuwal

SOKOTO - Son of Special Adviser to Sokoto State government on Social Investment, Alhaji Hayatu Tafida, Baffa Tafida has been alleged to have lured a girl (name withheld) to a hotel within the Sokoto metropolis where he allegedly drugged her, had carnal knowledge of her and recorded the act.

The incident was reported to have happened sometimes in 2017. The Special Adviser’s son, Baffa had however kept the video until 2020 when the lady’s dowry had been paid and time fixed for marriage.

It was gathered that aside sending the pornographic video to social media, it was also sent to the spouse.

Confirming the incident, Sokoto State Commandant of Hisbah Commission, Dr Adamu Kasarawa said the perpetrator and his partners in crime were arrested following complaint brought before them by the mother of the victim.

According to information gathered from the devastated mother of the girl, aside defiling her daughter and making it public through the video that has gone viral, she also decried that her life is no longer safe as the father of the perpetrator who is a serving Special Assistant had visited her house in Bado Quarters within the metropolis and asked her to stay action on the issue and be paid accordingly.

Mother of the victim, Safiyya Umar, said that Tafida allegedly sexually abused her daughter sometimes in 2017 when she was 16 years old.

"Exactly on June 20, 2020, I received a call from Lagos on the viral circulated video of my nude daughter being sexually abused by Tafida. The suspects shared the clips to her daughter’s suitor along with other online groups,’’ Sadiyya noted.

Safiyya Umar, who is recovering from a major surgical operation she had undergone recently, also added that she had approached Department of State Security Services (DSS) and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Sokoto over the issue but wondered why nothing had been done to bring the alleged suspects to justice.

She also wondered how the Special Adviser that should serve as a role model allegedly demanded the dropping of the case so that she could be paid compensation, which she declined.

Giving further insights into the incident, the Commandant of Hisbah, Dr Kasarasa said, Baffa Tafida was arrested alongside Umar Abubakar and Mas’ud Gidado-Bodibga.

The Commandant said investigation has been completed in the case and Hisbah would soon handover the matter to relevant authorities for prosecution and further actions.