The Nigeria Police Force has cleared former Senator representing Adamawa North, Ishaku Abbo, of an alleged rape of a minor, stating that investigations found no credible evidence to substantiate the claim.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, police authorities said Abbo was exonerated following a comprehensive investigation ordered by the Inspector-General of Police after a petition was submitted in 2025.
The allegation stemmed from a petition written by Mrs Zainab Mohammed and addressed to the IGP in September 2025, accusing Abbo of raping Khadija Mohammed at his Katampe Extension residence in Abuja on June 29, 2025.
Police said four specialised units were assigned to probe the allegation.
These included the Force Criminal Investigation Department Gender Unit, the National Cybercrime Centre, the Intelligence Tactical Unit and the Medical Unit.
According to an investigation report dated October 23, 2025, and signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Oki Rita Oyintare of the FCID, the essential elements required to establish the alleged offence were absent.
The report attributed this to the time lapse between the alleged incident and when it was formally reported to the police.
It noted that while the alleged offence was said to have occurred on June 29, 2025, the matter was not officially reported until September 15, 2025, with a search warrant executed on October 3, 2025.
Investigators stated that no incriminating evidence was found during the execution of the search warrant, adding that the delay undermined the ability to establish key elements of the alleged offence.
The report further revealed that the alleged survivor was taken to Deda Hospital on July 10, 2025.
A medical report dated July 11, 2025, indicated that her hymen was not breached, suggesting that she was still a virgin as of July 10, about 11 days after the alleged incident.
Police also noted that although the complainant allegedly attempted to preserve documents from Nafisa Mohammed’s phone, the device was not submitted for forensic analysis.
The phone was later reportedly flashed, resulting in the loss of potential data.
Investigators added that Patience Jesse, who reportedly opened the door for Nafisa Mohammed and Khadija Mohammed on the day of the alleged incident, stated that she did not witness any act of rape.
According to the report, the alleged incident was said to have occurred between 2pm and 4pm at Abbo’s residence, where only three individuals were present at the time: Patience Jesse, Nafisa Mohammed and Senator Abbo. All three reportedly denied that any rape occurred.
The investigation also disclosed that Abbo had earlier accused Khadija Mohammed and Nafisa Mohammed Chigli of stealing his wife’s gold jewellery, a complaint he reportedly lodged at the Dawaki Police Station on July 16, 2025.
Medical screening tests conducted during the investigation for hepatitis B and C, syphilis and HIV were all negative, the police said.
When contacted, Abbo declined to comment extensively, saying only that God would expose all evil plans against him and reward individuals according to their actions.
The former senator had previously dismissed reports in October 2025 claiming he was arrested over the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl, describing the reports as a politically motivated smear campaign.
Abbo was elected to the Senate in 2019 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party and defected to the All Progressives Congress in 2020.
He was re-elected in 2023 but later lost his seat following a Court of Appeal judgment that declared the PDP candidate, Amos Yohanna, as the duly elected senator for Adamawa North.
