The former Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, has opened up to clarify the rape allegation against him, explaining that following his acquittal by the court the accuser has admitted lying against him.
Penpushing reports that Turaki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Lawal Umar, added that his clarification on the matter became necessary both for the record and for posterity to set the facts straight, as silence is no longer golden.
The former Minister said Hadiza Baffa, who was the complainant after admitting to have lied apologised, and withdrew her petition with the police, paving the way for the court to strike out the matter and discharge him (Turaki) of the false allegations and charges.
“In light of these facts, it is both fair and just to acknowledge that the allegations were unfounded and as Mr. Turaki has consistently maintained, were orchestrated by political adversaries using her as part of a smear campaign. He has refused to succumb to such tactics and remains committed to upholding his integrity, the rule of law, and the principles of justice’, the statement reads
Penpushing further reports that the statement however noted that Turaki, being a former minister and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), refrained from commenting on the matter during police investigation to avoid being accused of interference and contempt for judicial processes.
The statement added that this stance of the former Minister, however, gave room for unverified narratives to trend on social media while Turaki allowed the authorities to conduct their work without interference.
Penpushing also reports that Umar added that the former Minister, however, stated that despite the court striking out the case after discharging him, and since the matter has continued to trend with different narratives tailored to suit various sponsors, he has found it imperative, for record purposes and posterity, to speak out.
The statement stressed that, therefore, revealing the background of the lady’s false allegations against the former minister, explained, that Hadiza Baffa was entrusted to Turaki’s care by her mother when she relocated to Abuja, as she was new to the city.
‘In the spirit of longstanding friendship with her family, he accepted this responsibility and treated her in a manner befitting that of a guardian. However, following her repeated involvement in financial scams and subsequent detentions where Mr. Turaki was frequently called upon to intervene and settle matters, he reported her conduct to her mother and withdrew his guardianship’.
‘Aggrieved by this decision, Hadiza Baffa petitioned the police, making spurious allegations against him, including claims of rape, unlawful termination of pregnancy, and threats to life, which she also published on various social media platforms’.
“Following a thorough police investigation, Hadiza Baffa was unable to substantiate her allegations. Despite the lack of evidence, a charge was filed against Mr. Turaki. However, she later wrote to the police and the court to withdraw her petition, leading to the striking out of the charge and Mr. Turaki’s subsequent discharge’, the statement said
“Significantly, her father who had initially supported his daughter later reviewed the circumstances in full and wrote a letter of apology to Mr. Turaki, expressing appreciation for his care towards his daughter and regret over the entire episode’.
‘Subsequently, Ms. Baffa herself sent a written WhatsApp message from her verified number (0806 795 7035), stating: “Salaam, ya ibada? Allah ya karba mana. Seeing you yesterday in the witness box was heart-wrenching and it saddens me a lot, I couldn’t stop thinking about it’, she wrote.
‘I never wished for all this to happen but unfortunately, we are here already. I want to withdraw my police case and for the sake of this holy month please forgive me, bygones be bygones. May Allah ease our affairs.”
“Regarding the DNA aspect of the matter, Mr. Turaki only became aware of the purported result through certain social media platforms and has challenged its authenticity in court. The Court has, in fact, restrained parties from relying on it pending the determination of the suit’
Penpushing reports that the statement added that the lady’s father, Musa Bashir Baffa, in same vein has written a formal letter of apology to Turaki, pleading forgiveness for his family.
The father also accused his daughter, Hadiza Baffa and her mother, who he described in his letter as his former wife, of being used by the former Minister’s political adversaries to tarnish Turaki’s image.
Penpushing further reports that it would be recalled that the lady had last year claimed that the former minister took advantage of her, violated her and harvested eight pregnancies for alleged ritual purposes and was after her life.
The former Minister, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was charged to court following the petitions and allegations, but the matter was eventually struck out by the court after the petitioner admitted lying against Turaki.
Penpushing also reports that Turaki, in turn, in September 2024, sued Hadiza Baffa, the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police and others over the matter.
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