By Zakari Musa
Kaduna, Nigeria — September 26, 2026
Advocates say sexual violence against boys is underreported as families and clerics frustrate prosecutions
For years, sexual violence against children in Kaduna has been publicly discussed largely through the experiences of girls, while boys—rights groups say—remain more likely to suffer in silence, with their cases often hidden, delayed, or quietly abandoned.
Now, women and child-rights advocates, lawyers, child protection practitioners, and justice stakeholders tell A1NEWS International that abuse of boys is being underreported, driven by stigma, fear, poor legal awareness, and sometimes interventions by family members, religious leaders, and community figures that pressure victims’ families to “forgive and forget.”
“We didn’t know—until we discovered evidence at home”
In one case described by a mother whose details are withheld to protect the child, the warning signs began after a routine request.
She said she instructed her older daughter to bathe her younger brother, but when the girl noticed faeces leaking from the boy’s anus, she raised alarm. According to the mother, she then checked the child at night after hearing reports of sexual assault against boys on the radio.
She said the boy initially denied the abuse, but later told his father that a prominent man in the neighborhood had allegedly sexually assaulted him and threatened to kill him if he disclosed what happened.
The mother said the boy alleged that the suspect would pick him—and other boys—up in his car and take them to the vicinity of premises connected to the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company. She added that the family later consulted a lawyer and was advised to report the case for medical examination, including at the Salama Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), so medical findings could support the case.
Medical examination confirms alleged prolonged abuse
The mother said medical checks at Yusuf Dantsoho General Hospital indicated the child had been abused over a prolonged period. She stated the matter was reported to the police, and that the suspect was initially detained.
“We need justice for my children. These children are ill and need medical care and social support. We don’t have resources to take care of them,” she said.
Second mother alleges abuse after being fed “soft drinks”
In another case, a second mother—also identified only as withheld to protect her children—alleged that the same suspect used a pattern of luring male children.
She claimed the man allegedly gave her two male children soft drinks before sexually abusing them, adding that he reportedly threatened to kill them if they told anyone.
“We have been to the police, and there was a medical investigation that confirmed that the children are being abused,” she said. “We understand that the suspect has been freed from police custody. We, however, are seeking justice and support for our children.”
SARC records penetrative abuse; court processes remain contested
SARC Kaduna, managed by Barrister Sidikat Bello Adegboye, confirmed receiving one of the boys in May 2026.
Adegboye said after medical examination, clinicians ascertained that there was penetration.
She added that in August, three other boys from the same family were examined, but only one was confirmed to have been sexually assaulted.
Adegboye stated that the Ministry of Women Affairs was handling the first case and that it had been mentioned before a Magistrate’s Court for cognisance.
Meanwhile, the accused man denied the allegations.
“My God! These people are telling lies against me. It is a great lie,” he said, adding that his alleged interaction with one of the boys was limited to assistance at a worship centre and occasional small gestures such as buying water for mosque activities.
He also claimed that allegations were being fabricated, and rejected the suggestion of sustained abuse.
FIDA: lawyers say releases and withdrawn support undermine prosecutions
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Kaduna Branch, said it is receiving complaints involving sexual violence against boys, including cases where suspects allegedly deny wrongdoing.
Barrister Olufunke Bamikole, FIDA chairperson, told A1NEWS International that one complaint involved a boy allegedly abused over more than a year by a neighbour. She said the alleged perpetrator reportedly took the boy in a car “as if giving him a lift,” then returned him home—while the family reportedly thanked him without realizing the alleged harm.
Bamikole said the child was examined at SARC and the matter was reported to the police. She added that FIDA became concerned after learning the suspect was no longer in custody.
“Something we can do,” she said, emphasizing that children’s lives and futures are at stake and that advocates cannot “fold our arms.”
She further alleged that information reaching FIDA suggested broader impact beyond a single victim—initially believed to involve six or seven boys, later said to extend to around 40, including the suspect’s own son allegedly replicating abusive behavior against other boys.
Bamikole also described injuries allegedly observed in one child and said the case raised further alarm about the severity of harm.
Kaduna Police dispute claims of immediate release
While rights groups indicated concerns about the accused being freed, the Kaduna State Police Command challenged that narrative.
The Officer in Charge of the Gender Section, Dominic David Aku, said the suspect was remanded in custody for months before the Ministry of Justice issued legal advice.
Aku explained that police investigation typically concludes with duplication of the case diary and forwarding to the Ministry of Justice for legal advice. He said the Ministry reviews the facts and determines whether there is a case to answer; police do not prosecute such matters at that stage.
According to him, the Ministry’s advice in this instance concluded there was insufficient evidence to prosecute, and recommended discharge—stressing that it was not the police that “released” the suspect.
NHRC: “Culture of silence” and religious/community interference bury cases
To the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Kaduna State Office, the biggest barrier to accountability is reporting.
Dr. Tengu Gwar, NHRC coordinator, said many victims and families never report abuse—especially in areas where literacy and legal awareness are low.
“The culture of silence is very strong, particularly where religion and culture play a significant role,” Gwar said, adding that the commission also sees patterns where alleged perpetrators are often people known to victims and their families, including relatives and neighbours.
Gwar described another disturbing pattern involving siblings from the same family—children who allegedly abused each other—emphasizing that child protection failures within family structures are especially troubling.
He said the greatest obstacle appears after reporting, when family members, religious leaders, or community leaders sometimes intervene to prevent justice. In some situations, victims’ families are pressured to keep matters private or face social consequences.
Gwar recalled a Zaria case where a mother seeking justice reportedly lost support from her husband, faced stigma, and was pushed away—illustrating how prosecutions can be destabilized by social pressure.
Kaduna Ministry of Justice confirms prosecutions—and says some cases collapse after adjournments
A senior state counsel, gender-based violence specialist and child protection specialist at the Kaduna State Ministry of Justice, Sarah Gajere Peter, said cases involving violence against boys are indeed reaching the Ministry.
She stated that the Ministry’s Department of Citizens’ Rights handles human-rights complaints and that cases may be referred to police, Legal Aid Council, FIDA, or the Multi-Door Courthouse depending on circumstances.
Peter confirmed she is actively prosecuting cases involving violations against young boys and said one case concluded in 2026 involved a two-year-old boy allegedly sexually assaulted by an adult through the anus, with a separate older child allegedly forced into similar acts.
She also described another ongoing matter involving three boys and explained that one challenge was parents being unreachable on a scheduled court date—followed by reports that the community urged forgiveness and withdrawal.
“That can frustrate the prosecution,” Peter said, describing how pressure outside court can undo progress even after evidence and preparations have begun.
Laws exist—advocates warn enforcement and evidence-sustaining remain the real problem
Kaduna has multiple legal instruments addressing violence against children and sexual offences, including:
- Kaduna State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2018
- Kaduna State Child Welfare and Protection Law 2018
- Kaduna State Penal Code Law 2017, amended by the Penal Code (Amendment) Law 2020, including provisions expressly addressing sexual intercourse with a male child below 14 years and mechanisms tied to convicted offenders.
Rights practitioners, NHRC, the Ministry of Justice, FIDA, SARC and police officials all point to a common conclusion: while the legal framework exists, the challenge lies in institutional gaps, victim disclosure barriers, family and community pressure, proving cases with admissible evidence, and sustaining prosecutions to conclusion.
Justice for abused boys requires protection, reporting pathways, and sustained prosecution
As Kaduna confronts ongoing allegations and contested cases, advocates say the public narrative still needs to change: sexual violence against boys is real, widespread, and often hidden.
For justice to reach victims, A1NEWS International findings indicate that Kaduna must prioritize legal awareness, safer reporting systems, evidence-backed medical pathways, and—critically—strong courtroom follow-through that resists external pressure. Without these safeguards, families may continue facing a painful cycle: abuse occurs, fear blocks reporting, and justice is derailed long before accountability is delivered.
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