A political scandal of monstrous proportions has engulfed former lawmaker, Senator Ishaku Elisha Abbo, after a petition accused him of raping a 13-year-old girl, attempting to assault her 16-year-old sister, and threatening to kill their family if they exposed him.
The explosive allegations, contained in a petition by D.I. Aiyedun & Co. Chambers to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), have shaken Abuja’s political and legal circles, sparking demands for an independent and transparent investigation.
According to the petition, the nightmare began on June 29, 2025, when Khadija Muhammad (13) was lured to Abbo’s residence at Katampe Extension, Abuja by a teenage associate of the senator, Nafisa Mohammed Chigli (17).
Inside the lavish residence, Abbo allegedly overpowered the girl, smeared baby oil on his genitals, and raped her despite her screams for help. After the act, the former senator allegedly wiped himself with a white cloth and let the child go.
The traumatised girl later confided in her father — but shockingly, instead of seeking justice, he allegedly blamed her, deepening her psychological wounds.
The horror did not end there. Days later, Fatima Muhammad (16), Khadija’s elder sister, was reportedly lured to the same residence by another accomplice, Zara Muhammad Chigli.
The petition alleges that Abbo attempted to assault Fatima in a nearly identical scheme. However, unlike her sister, she narrowly escaped before the act could be completed. Lawyers describe this as proof of a pattern of predatory behaviour.
The petition claims that after the incidents, Senator Abbo launched a campaign of threats and hush tactics. The girls and their parents were allegedly warned not to report the matter.
In an even more shocking twist, the family alleges that prominent Adamawa politician and former governorship candidate, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani), visited their home, urging them to “bury the scandal.”
Furthermore, Abbo is accused of sending repeated cash payments to the father of the girls in an apparent attempt to buy the family’s silence and obstruct justice.
Following the petition’s submission and public outrage, Abbo turned himself in at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Headquarters, Abuja.
As of press time, he remains in custody, facing questioning by detectives under the Gender Department. The case has now become a test of Nigeria’s ability to hold powerful figures accountable for crimes against minors.
Public Outrage And Calls For Justice
The allegations have ignited outrage among rights activists, child protection groups, and ordinary Nigerians. Many fear the case could be swept under the rug given Abbo’s political connections, but they insist justice must be served.
“This is not just a crime against two girls, it is a crime against every Nigerian child,” said a gender rights advocate in Abuja. “If the police and courts fail to act, then Nigeria has failed its most vulnerable.”
This is not the first time Senator Abbo has faced scandal. In 2019, he was caught on camera physically assaulting a woman in a sex toy shop in Abuja — an incident that drew national outrage and a court fine, though he retained his Senate seat until losing reelection in 2023.
As the police investigation continues, one question hangs heavy over Abuja: Will the law finally catch up with Elisha Abbo, or will political influence bury yet another case of violence against minors?
For now, the spotlight is on the FCID, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Nigerian justice system to prove that no man is above the law.
On obtaining the report from the Sahara Reporters X handle, efforts by The Pioneer Newspaper correspondent to reach Senator Elisha Abbo for his comments on the allegations proved abortive as his phone lines were switched off and messages were not returned at the time of filing this report.
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