Umar Ibrahim, the Village Head of Dan Gulam in Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa State, has been accused of raping, impregnating and infecting a girl with HIV.
This was made known via a letter dated October 16, 2023, and addressed to the Secretary of Dutse Emirate Council by the Senior State Counsel in the Jigawa State Ministry of Justice, Kabiru Abdullah, titled: "Notification of arraignment of Umar Ibrahim (Village Head of Dan Gulam) on the offense of rape contrary to Section 3 (1) (A and D) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law 2021."
According to the letter, Kabiru Abdullah said, "I have been directed by the Attorney General of Jigawa State to write and notify Your Highness that a complaint of rape and infection with HIV was lodged at the Office of the Attorney General by one Ya'u Muhammad in which he alleged that Umar Ibrahim (Village Head of Dan Gulam) engaged his daughter in illegal sexual intercourse which resulted in her pregnancy and infected her with HIV."
The letter explained that upon receiving the complaint, parties were invited, and in the course of discussion with the Attorney General, Umar Ibrahim (the village head) revealed that he had filed a case of defamation against the girl, her father and one Sule Umar of Dan Gulam village before the Upper Shari'a Court in Gwaram.
It further explained that the attorney general directed for the case at the Upper Sharia Court, Gwaram, to be taken over, and all parties were referred to the CID in Dutse for investigation.
After the investigation by the CID, the letter explained that the case diary was sent to the Ministry of Justice for legal advice, saying that the legal advice was given, and it revealed prima facie a case of criminal conspiracy and rape was made against Umar Ibrahim, who, to the attorney general's greatest dismay, is the Village Head of Dan Gulam in Gwaram Local Government Area.
It stated that in view of the above fact and that he would soon be arraigned before a court, stressing that based on the foregoing fact, the attorney general directed him to write and notify the village head of the position of the case for appropriate steps to be taken.
Reports indicated that there was pressure on the emirate to sweep the issue under the carpet despite appeals and the state government's intervention through the office of the attorney general.
The family of the girl has called on civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations to intervene in the matter to save the girl's life and to ensure justice is served.
The village head denied the allegation, saying that he was not the person who impregnated the girl.
He confessed that he is HIV positive and had it for the past 10 years when he married an infected widow, pointing out that that is why they are bringing that girl who has the virus and is pregnant to lay false allegations, but he swears that he didn't do it.
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