Kogi chief taken to court for defilement

The leader of the Igala Community in Lagos State, Muhammad Salifu, has been brought to court for allegedly defiling a teenager in 2023.

Daniel Omeje, the Secretary of the Amonu Igala Ujah Ache Council, shared this news with City Round on Wednesday.

He stated, "After a careful investigation by the Gender Office in Ikeja, Mr Muhammad Salifu Shaibu has been officially charged in court."

"During the recent court session, Chief George heard arguments from all parties involved. After discussing the case, it has been postponed until November 19, 2026, for the trial to continue. We will keep a close eye on the proceedings and update you as the legal process continues."

Salifu was arrested on September 16 by officers from the Gender Unit of the Lagos Police Command. They were assisted by officers from Ogudu Police Station after he tried to resist arrest.

Last Saturday, after City Round reported his arrest, it was revealed that his wife and a man named Mr Isah Ayegba were released from the Gender Unit that same day.

Omeje added, "The release of Chief Mohammed Salifu was quickly arranged by respected community elders, who came to secure their bail due to concerns about his health worsening in detention."

He mentioned that as part of the conditions for their release, they must report back to the Gender Office on Monday morning to continue the process.

In a separate matter, the Igala Youth Community sent a letter to the survivor's mother, Mrs Elizabeth Yakubu, urging her to drop the case at the police station.

The letter partly stated, "There is a strong appeal from Igala sons and daughters, both locally and abroad, asking for this matter to be withdrawn from the police. Our main goal is to avoid this situation turning into a court case, which could cause division and strain the leadership of the Onu Igala Lagos State."

On September 6, Saturday PUNCH reported that the teenager was allegedly raped twice by the Kogi chief in a hotel in Ojota, Lagos, in December 2023 when she was 15 years old.

Mrs Yakubu, the girl’s mother, said her daughter later became pregnant. Salifu initially denied he was responsible but later admitted it and paid N50,000 for an abortion, which the family refused.

A petition from their lawyer, Kazeem Adebanjo, stated that the teenager eventually had a caesarean section after a long labour, but the baby died shortly after birth.

The lawyer also claimed that the teenager faced complications that harmed her womb, and her father passed away during the family’s struggles.

The Yakubu family reported the issue to Ketu Police Station, the Gender Unit, and the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, which referred the case to the police for investigation.

Commenting on the situation, the Executive Secretary of DSVA, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, told City Round, "After recent developments regarding the reported case of alleged defilement involving Mr Shaibu Muhammed and a 15-year-old survivor, the suspect was charged for defilement under section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State."

"The Lagos State Government remains firm on its zero-tolerance policy against all forms of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. We are committed to seeing this matter through the appropriate legal channels. We assure survivors and the public of our dedication to due process, survivor support, and access to justice."