A High Court sitting in Benin has remanded a 56-year-old man, Festus Ugo, in a correctional facility over allegations of raping a 13-year-old girl.
The defendant, whose address was not provided in court, was charged with rape following an incident that reportedly occurred on May 8, 2025, at Upper Mission Road, New Benin, within the Benin Judicial Division.
According to the prosecutor, I.E. Ekibade, Ugo's alleged actions contravene Sections 4(1) and 5(1) of the Edo State Violence Against Persons (Prohibited) Law of 2021.
During the court proceedings on Thursday, the prosecution requested that the defendant be remanded in a correctional centre for an initial period of 14 days pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution.
Justice Williams Azeigbemhin, who presided over the case, ordered that Ugo be held at the Benin Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter until May 29, 2025, for further proceedings.
This case adds to growing concerns about sexual violence against minors in Nigeria, where authorities have been intensifying efforts to combat such crimes through stricter enforcement of protective legislation.
