Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Niger State Police Command has made a disturbing breakthrough in its fight against child sexual abuse, arresting a 37-year-old honey seller for allegedly luring three young boys into his home and forcibly having unnatural carnal knowledge of them. In a separate incident, police also arrested a 16-year-old boy, Yusuf Shehu, for performing unnatural sexual acts with a 14-year-old boy in an uncompleted building in the Tayi village area of Minna. The revelations have left the Angwan Biri area in shock and forced a painful conversation about the vulnerability of children in the state.
According to the command’s spokesman, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the initial report came in on April 23, 2026, at about 3:30 PM from the Bosso Police Division. The suspect, identified as Isah Usman, a honey seller residing in the Angwan Biri area of Minna, had been forcefully engaging in unnatural sexual acts with three young boys, aged 15, 13, and 14. Police uncovered a chilling pattern in the suspect’s modus operandi. To gain the boys’ trust and silence, Usman would threaten them after each assault and induce them with a small monetary reward. He gave each victim N500 and some of the honey he sold to commit the act with them.
The victims were courageously assisted by family and community members to report the incident. Police operatives attached to the Bosso Division immediately swung into action, arrested the suspect, and took the victims to the Police Clinic in Minna for a medical examination. The results were devastating.
In his statement, SP Abiodun revealed, “The victims were taken to Police Clinic Minna for medical examination which confirmed the allegation and indicated penetration, while the suspect also confessed to the act”. The suspect has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna, for further investigation. He will be charged to court for prosecution as soon as investigations are concluded.
Simultaneously, the command acted on a tip-off that came through the GRA Division. On April 28, 2026, at about 4:00 PM, a 14-year-old boy was seen spending money lavishly and was questioned by his boss, who is a mechanic. The minor revealed that another teenager, 16-year-old Yusuf Shehu of Tayi village, usually gives him between N2,000 and N2,500 after performing unnatural sexual acts with him in an uncompleted building around the village. Shehu was immediately arrested. Police say investigations are ongoing to identify other victims and possible accomplices for prosecution for unnatural offences.
SP Abiodun used the opportunity to issue a strong warning to parents and guardians. "Parents and guardians are equally advised to monitor and protect their wards against such unnatural offences to prevent the health implications on the victims," he said. The health implications for victims of such abuse are severe. They face not only immediate physical injuries and the risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, but also long-term psychological trauma, depression, and social stigmatization. Medical experts note that the use of inducements like cash and honey highlights the predatory nature of the suspects, who exploit poverty and vulnerability to groom their victims. The incidence of pedophilia and child sexual abuse remains a deeply underreported crime in Nigeria. According to a 2024 report by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), many cases go unreported due to fear of stigma, economic dependency on the abuser, or lack of trust in the justice system.
For the families of these young boys, the search for justice is just beginning. The law prescribes severe penalties for those found guilty of "unnatural offences" under the Nigerian Penal Code. In the legal framework of Northern Nigeria, where Sharia law operates alongside secular statutes, the punishment for sodomy can range from imprisonment to, in some states, death by stoning if the offender is married. For minors like Yusuf Shehu, the courts face a complex dilemma. While Nigerian law criminalizes same-sex acts and the age of consent is 11 (under the Penal Code), prosecuting a minor as an adult raises significant child protection concerns. The case will likely be transferred to a family court or juvenile rehabilitation centre, focusing on correctional education rather than punitive incarceration.
The Niger State Police Command has urged members of the public to remain calm and vigilant, reporting any suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station to assist the ongoing fight against criminality. As the sun sets today over Minna, two suspects are behind bars, but the scars left on these children may never fully heal.
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