An Islamic teacher Nura Suleiman accused of inflicting severe injuries on a seven-year-old child has been ordered by the Minna Magistrate Court to be remanded in correctional custody for allegedly abusing seven-year-old pupil.
Penpushing reports that officials of the Niger State Child Right Agency in Suleja arrested the accused after receiving a tip-off that he used an electric cable to whip a seven-year-old Islamic pupil, and is facing three-count charge brought against him
The police prosecutor, Emma Bassa told the court that the same Islamic teacher had earlier inflicted similar injuries on another pupil, Khalifa Mohammed, an eleven-year-old, sometime last year, explaining that he was arraigned on a three-count charge of causing hurt without provocation, cruelty to children, and ill-treatment of a child.
Penpushing further reports that the alleged offences are punishable under sections 246,238 (a) of the penal code law and section 25 of Niger State Child Right and Protection law 2021 as amended, and as contained in Police First Information Report (FIR), marked MN/CR/21/2024
The Senior Magistrate, read the charge to the accused but pleaded not guilty, despite allegedly admitting to police investigators that he committed the offence and attributing it to the act of the devil (Shaitan).
Penpushing also reports that the defence counsel, Bawa Mijinyawa, made an oral application for his bail but it was objected to by the prosecutor who argued that the case has attracted national interest as the injuries sustained by the seven-year-old pupil went viral on social media platforms.
‘Your Worship, I am objecting to the bail application moved by the counsel to the defendant at this early stage of this matter. Your Worship, this matter has been taken to the internet and all over the social media platforms which attracted national interest. I am vehemently objecting to the bail of the defendant at this early stage of the case because of the national interest the case has already developed,” he told the court.
Penpushing reports that the prosecutor then urged for the remand of the defendant in correctional custody for further mention in the case, adding that as a result of the injuries, the pupil was rushed to the Suleja General Hospital for medical attention.
The Senior Magistrate Halima Yusuf granting the request of the prosecutor ordered that the accused Islamic teacher should be remanded in correctional centre and equally adjourned the case till February 19, 2024.
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