Two private security guards have been sentenced to life imprisonment without the option of a fine after being found guilty of repeatedly defiling a young girl over a period of six years.

The convicts, James Sule, aged 30, and Adamu Yau, aged 25, were both based in Abuja and were prosecuted by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) under the provisions of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.

The judgment was delivered by Justice S.M. Mayana of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja, following the court’s finding that both men were guilty as charged.

The victim was six years old when the abuse began, making the case one of particular severity and public concern. The convicts have since been transferred to the Kuje Correctional Centre where they will serve out their sentences.

Reacting to the verdict, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, described the judgment as a strong warning to sexual offenders across the country. She reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to ensuring that perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence face the full weight of the law, adding that the outcome of the case was a direct result of improved enforcement strategies and tighter implementation of the VAPP Act.

Bello also commended the judiciary, investigators, and partner stakeholders who contributed to securing justice for the victim. She used the occasion to urge parents, school owners, and employers to conduct thorough background checks and strict profiling on domestic workers and service providers granted access to children and homes, citing drivers, security guards, home lesson teachers, babysitters, and cooks as categories that require particular scrutiny.

The conviction has been widely praised by civil society organisations across Nigeria, with many viewing it as a landmark demonstration of the criminal justice system responding decisively to cases of child sexual abuse.