Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A traditional ruler, identified as the head of the Igala community in Lagos, is facing serious allegations of defilement and rape after a teenager and her family accused him of impregnating her and causing severe damage to her womb. Muhammed Salifu, a 58-year-old chief, is accused of sexually assaulting the teenager, who was 15 at the time of the alleged incident in December 2023, and later forcing her to undergo a caesarean section that has left her with lasting reproductive injuries.
According to a report by Sunday PUNCH, the teenager's mother, Mrs Elizabeth Yakubu, recounted how the family came to know Salifu through her husband, who belonged to the same town union association as the chief. In 2023, Salifu expressed interest in helping the teenager, who was born on January 3, 2008, learn a trade. He took her to a tailor, paid for her apprenticeship, and signed the necessary forms, positioning himself as a benefactor.
The family's trust in the chief shattered in December 2023 when Salifu allegedly offered to lodge them in a hotel near his house in Ojota, Lagos, so they could travel early to their hometown in Kogi State. According to the mother, while the family waited at the reception, Salifu took the teenager upstairs to show her the room. Once inside, he allegedly locked the door and forced himself on her. "We were downstairs, trusting that the chief was simply showing my daughter the room. But when they got upstairs, he locked the door and, according to my daughter, forced himself on her," Mrs Yakubu told Sunday PUNCH.
The teenager was allegedly assaulted again later that month. The mother said the chief called her seeking permission for the teenager to help his housewives with chores ahead of his coronation. The teenager went to his house and helped, but when the work was done, the chief reportedly lodged her in a hotel apartment. Around 2 a.m. on December 27, he allegedly entered the room and forced himself on her again, threatening her against telling anyone.
When the teenager did not see her period the following month, the family took her to the hospital, where they confirmed she was pregnant. Salifu initially denied responsibility, but when the matter was reported to village elders, he was confronted and allegedly pleaded for time to settle. He suggested they go to his hospital in Ojota, where a doctor confirmed the pregnancy. Salifu then reportedly paid N50,000 into the mother's account to arrange for an abortion, but the family refused. When they declined, Salifu blocked them on his phone.
The family continued to care for the teenager, selling off most of their property to meet her needs until she gave birth. However, the delivery was traumatic. The doctor said she required a caesarean section. Tragically, the newborn baby died after seven days. The hospital refused to discharge the teenager until the hospital bills were paid. The family received N300,000 from village elders to settle the bills. The mother revealed that her daughter's womb had been damaged due to complications from the caesarean section and that her stomach had remained swollen. "My daughter's life has never remained the same again," she said.
The case was reported to the Ketu Police Station, but officers reportedly could not find Salifu at home. The family also reported the case to the Gender Desk of the Lagos State Police Command and the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency. A referral letter dated August 31, 2026, was sent to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, urging a thorough investigation. When contacted by Sunday PUNCH, Salifu claimed he wanted to marry the girl and put her in school. He suggested the allegations were part of a political vendetta linked to a leadership dispute. He also claimed the victim was 22, though her birth records indicate she was 15 at the time of the alleged incident. As of the time of the report, the suspect had not been arrested, and the case remained under investigation.
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