The Sokoto State Hisbah Commission yesterday confirmed the apprehension of three people alleged to have circulated a video on social media while sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl.

It was reported that the victim was scheduled to get married on October 17, but the marriage was called off as a result of the viral video circulated by the suspects.

The State’s Hisbah Commandant, Dr Adamu Kasarawa, told newsmen in Sokoto that the principal suspect, son of a political appointee in the state, and his two accomplices would be handed over to relevant authorities for prosecution adding that the commission had concluded investigations into the matter and would ensure the prosecution of the case.

The mother of the victim alleged that the principal suspect sexually abused her daughter sometime in 2017 when she was 16 years old and he stored the video clips for three years with the intention of destroying her daughter’s life.

“Exactly on June 20, 2020, I received a call from Lagos on the circulated video of my nude daughter being sexually abused by Baffa Hayatu Tafida.

“The suspects shared the clips to my daughter’s suitor along with other online groups,” she said.

She disclosed that marriage arrangements have been concluded for her daughter, scheduled for October 17, this year, when Baffa released the phonographic video of him sexually abusing the girl and the ugly development made the groom to-be to withdraw his marriage proposal.

She complained that all attempts to get the Department of State Services and the National Human Right Commission in Sokoto to handle the matter have proven abortive.

“I was disappointed with the two institutions’ inaction,” she said, and thanked the Hisbah commission for the prompt intervention.

The victim’s mother claimed that the father of the principal suspect has been attempting to convince her to drop the case, and threatened her on different occasions when she refused.

When contacted, Hayatu Tafida, father of the principal suspect, confirmed knowledge of the case, but denied inducing the victim’s mother or threatening her life.