Hadiza Baffa ( second left) and Executive Assistant, Talk Initiative Sefinatu Ahmed (second right).
A Civil Society Organisation (CSO) under the auspices of the Talk Initiative Foundation has thrown its weight behind Ms. Hadiza Musa Baffa, with a call for justice over her ordeal with former Minister of Special Duties, Mr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN.
Assistant Executive Assistant of the group, Sefinatu Ahmed, made the appeal during a media briefing in Abuja.
She described the development as heartbreaking and urged Nigerians, civil society groups, and advocates of justice to rally behind Hadiza, stressing that she must not face the battle alone.
Ms. Ahmed emphasized that the campaign has no political undertone but is strictly about the safety of a mother and the welfare of her child.
She therefore demanded that security agencies and the judiciary conduct a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation into the matter.
According to her, justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done.
The Talk Initiative Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to protecting human dignity, promoting equality, and amplifying the voices of the vulnerable, while pledging to stand by Hadiza until justice prevails.
“We are calling for independent oversight of the court proceedings, protection for the survivor, and accountability for the alleged abuse of power,’’ she said.
They emphasise that Hadiza’s case highlights the systemic silencing and emotional manipulation allegedly perpetrated by a former government official.
“We are urging women’s rights organizations, bar associations, and human rights defenders to support Hadiza, and view her case as a national emergency.
“The voices of survivors should echo loudly and must go hand-in-hand with dismantling the political and legal barriers that prevent justice from being served,’’ she said.
The CSO added that not enough attention was paid to pressing issues faced by women and girls by responsible authorities to unravel what often prevents them from speaking out as in the case of Hadiza.
“There are not enough protective, referral and support services for survivors, and the fact that perpetrators rarely face prosecution or conviction leaves survivors in a cycle of trauma, stigma and pain.’’
“Additionally, Hadiza’s case aims to set a precedent for similar cases, demonstrating that powerful individuals in Nigeria can abuse their power without facing consequences,” she said.
Also speaking the Victim Hadiza Baffa narrated her ordeal.
She alleges that Turaki used his influence to silence her for over a decade and that he is the father of her child.
“He has been using his power and his status to threaten my life and frustrate my life with my child and denying the child,’’ she alleged.
She recounted that in September 2014, while she was a student of Baze University, Abuja, the minister sent his driver, identified simply as Shehu, to pick her up around 4 p.m.
She was then taken to a residence on Yadema Street, Asokoro, which she later described as “Han’s place.”
Hadiza said the following day, in the dead of night, the former minister gained access to the room where she was kept.
“He came around 1 a.m. in 2014. I don’t want to go into details because it’s not a fun thing to say. He raped me that night and asked me not to say anything. He left and I was really scared to talk,” she alleged.
According to the group the campaign tagged #JusticeForHadiza is not just a slogan but a call to conscience.
Our Correspondent reports that all efforts to reach to former Minister of Special Duties, Mr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, proved abortive.
