NAPTIP rescues 14-Year-Old IDP Girl brutalized by Abuja socialite

Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have rescued a 14-year-old internally displaced girl, Bashariyya Usman, after she was subjected to severe abuse by a prominent Abuja socialite and wife of a Sokoto public office holder.

According to NAPTIP, Bashariyya, the only daughter of Malam Usman Aliyu, fled bandit attacks in Dan Gyalla village, Zamfara State, with her family and took refuge in an IDP camp in Sokoto. In January 2025, she was recruited by the suspect during a visit to Sokoto, who promised her mother a monthly wage and school enrolment for the girl in Abuja.

However, after three months, the girl was subjected to extreme maltreatment. She was beaten, locked in a dark room, starved, and reportedly fed a cup of gari daily. NAPTIP revealed that a man was brought in to perform rituals on the child, spraying harmful substances on her, which left burns on her body.

Fearing for Bashariyya’s life, the suspect discreetly sent her back to Sokoto, claiming she had “spiritual issues.” Concerned residents raised an alarm, prompting members of the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) to alert NAPTIP.

With intervention from NAPTIP’s Director General, Binta Adamu Bello, the girl was rescued, admitted to a hospital in Sokoto, and later flown to Abuja for advanced medical care.

Speaking after receiving the victim in Abuja, Bello condemned the act, describing it as one of the worst cases of inhumanity. She pledged full medical, psychological, and rehabilitative support for the victim and vowed to prosecute the perpetrator.

Bello commended NACTAL and its president, Abdulganiyu Abubakar, for their swift response and urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases of child trafficking and abuse.

“This case highlights the cruelty some vulnerable children face daily, and we remain resolute in our duty to protect them and bring their abusers to justice,” Bello stated.