Amnesty International criticizes Plateau for dropping case against child defiler

Amnesty International Nigeria has slammed the Plateau State Government for stopping a defilement case involving a four-year-old girl. They called this move a failure of justice and misuse of the legal system.

The organization held a press conference in Jos on Wednesday. They demanded that the state government bring back the criminal charges against the suspect, who has been let go even though there is still a bench warrant for his arrest.

Isa Sanusi, the Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, said the group wants the state government to change its mind and let the case go on. “We are here in Jos, Plateau State, as Amnesty International Nigeria to demand that the Plateau State Government continue with the case of a four-year-old survivor of rape,” Sanusi said.

He explained that the case was in the Plateau State High Court in Jos. The defendant reportedly refused to show up in court multiple times, which led the court to issue a standing bench warrant for his arrest. But according to Sanusi, the Plateau State Attorney General’s office stopped the trial in May 2026 by using Section 211 of the 1999 Constitution.

This allowed the defendant to go free even though the bench warrant was still in effect. “Amnesty International, alongside other human rights groups, civil society organizations, the media, and all concerned citizens who care about justice, absolutely reject the profound miscarriage of justice unfolding in Plateau State,” he said.

Sanusi stated that the Attorney General's power to stop criminal cases must be used for the public good and for justice. “The Constitution is clear that the Attorney General’s power to discontinue criminal proceedings must be exercised in the public interest, the interest of justice, and the need to prevent abuse of the legal process,” he said.

He questioned, “How is dropping a mid-trial sexual abuse case involving a four-year-old in the public interest? How does protecting a fugitive defendant serve the interest of justice? How does this align with the Plateau State Child Rights Law 2005 and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law 2022?”

Sanusi warned that allowing this withdrawal could create a bad example and reduce public trust in the justice system. “This sudden withdrawal is an abuse of the legal process and will set a dangerous precedent and create distrust in the judicial system. If allowed to stand, it will send the message that people can commit sexual violence and get away with it,” he said.

He also rejected any idea of settling the matter outside court. “There is nothing like forgiveness or out-of-court settlement when it comes to sexual abuse of a child,” Sanusi said.

He urged the Plateau State Government to reverse its decision and bring back the case. “We are calling on the Plateau State Government to retrace its steps. This is not a political matter. It has nothing to do with sentiment. This is a human rights issue,” he said.

Sanusi also appealed to the state governor, a lawyer himself, to step in and ensure justice for the child. “That is why we came from Abuja to appeal to the government before it is too late. We appeal to His Excellency, the Governor, who is a lawyer himself and understands the value of justice, to use his good offices to ensure justice is done,” he said.

Sanusi demanded that the Attorney General immediately reverse the withdrawal and send the case back to the High Court. “We also demand a transparent, public explanation detailing the legal, logical, and moral justification for abandoning this vulnerable child,” he said.

He called on the police to enforce the court-ordered bench warrant against the defendant. “To the Nigerian Police, we demand immediate execution of the court-ordered bench warrant to apprehend the defendant so that trial can continue. The police are meant to protect the law and the vulnerable, not big men and politicians,” Sanusi said.

Barbara Magaji, the Programme Manager of Amnesty International Nigeria, said they had contacted the Plateau State Government before going public with the issue. She mentioned that Amnesty wrote to the Attorney General for an explanation about stopping the case and also petitioned the governor.

“We are aware of the constitutional powers under Section 211, but as the director highlighted, those powers must still be subjected to constitutional tests. We received a response saying it was done in the interest of Section 211, but we do not think that is sufficient,” Magaji said.

“Our concern is the survivor. The girl child is at risk if this continues. We want people to know that we did not just come here without engaging the relevant parties. We engaged the AG, but the response was not sufficient because the case has not been re-instituted. Secondly, we petitioned the governor. We are yet to get a response, but we will keep pushing,” she added.

Magaji stated that the survivor was in a bad state when Amnesty got involved. “The survivor was in a terrible condition. She could not even stand on her feet. We made an application to the State Attorney General, who saw the survivor and the nominal complainant. He was moved to ensure justice for the survivor, and he granted us fiat to prosecute,” she said.

She explained that the case first came up in court on February 12, 2026, but the defendant did not show up. “He never appeared in court. We expected that when the fiat was returned to the Attorney General, he would pursue the case, as is the normal thing to do. But on the 16th, the charge we filed was withdrawn. So as we speak, the case has been withdrawn,” Magaji said.

Jacob Pwakim, Secretary of the Let The Case Proceed Campaign, voiced disappointment on behalf of civil society groups in the state. “We, as the civil society in Plateau State, are deeply disappointed and pained. This is not just about one four-year-old girl; it is about all the children of Plateau State. If a four-year-old cannot get justice, which child can?” Pwakim said.

He explained that the campaign was started by concerned citizens to ensure the case moves forward. “We cannot have a system where bench warrants are ignored, and cases are withdrawn to protect an accused person. That is not public interest, that is public betrayal,” he said.

Stella Samuel, the prosecution counsel, said they tried to pursue the case before it was stopped. “I was granted fiat by the Attorney General of Plateau State after he saw the survivor himself. We filed the charge and did everything lawfully required. But from February 12, 2026, when the matter first came up, the defendant refused to come to court. He was served, he was aware, but he treated the court with contempt,” Samuel said.

She noted that the court later issued a bench warrant for the defendant’s arrest. “The court, in its wisdom, issued a bench warrant for his arrest. That bench warrant is still in effect as we speak. The defendant has not been arrested. Instead, what we saw in May was a notice of discontinuance from the same office that gave us fiat. It is shocking and legally questionable,” she said.

Samuel confirmed that the prosecution was ready to go ahead with the case, stating that witnesses and evidence were ready. “We as prosecutors were ready to proceed. We had our witnesses, we had our evidence. The survivor, despite her trauma, was willing to get justice through the process. But with the withdrawal, the whole effort has been truncated,” she said.

She urged the Attorney General to bring back the case, arguing that it can still be prosecuted. “This case is still prosecutable. The law allows the Attorney General to reinstate it. We urge him to do so in the interest of justice, in the interest of that four-year-old child, and in the interest of Plateau State’s reputation as a state that protects its children under the Child Rights Law,” Samuel said.

Meanwhile, attempts to get a response from the Plateau State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Philemon Daffi, SAN, were unsuccessful because his phone was off when this report was being written.