Ex-Senator Abbo Denies Rape Allegation, Says He Reported Attempted Extortion

Former Adamawa North senator, Ishaku Elisha Abbo, has denied reports that he was detained by police in Abuja over the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl, describing the story as a smear campaign engineered by political enemies.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Friday, Abbo admitted that a woman recently accused him of assaulting her daughter but claimed that the woman had first demanded ?5 million from him to suppress the allegation.

“The thing is that someone first requested ?5 million from me that I assaulted her daughter and that I must pay her ?5 million or she would take me to the police. I told her I would report the matter to the police myself. So, I reported the matter to the police… the mother now printed that news,” Abbo explained.

There had been reports on Thursday that Abbo was detained at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) over claims that he raped a 13-year-old secondary school student on 29 June at his Abuja residence. The reports further alleged that he offered a bribe to the girl’s parents which they rejected before turning to the police.

Abbo, however, dismissed the story as false and politically motivated. “The said report is the handiwork of my political detractors. It is an orchestrated smear campaign to disturb my peace,” he declared.

A Controversial Political Career

The latest allegation adds to a string of controversies that have dogged Abbo’s public life.

In 2019, he came under heavy criticism after a viral video showed him physically assaulting a woman inside an Abuja adult toy shop. The incident sparked outrage nationwide, forcing the then-senator to tender a public apology.

In September 2024, another woman from his home state, Wangai Kwagga, accused him of secretly recording an intimate encounter with her and releasing the video online as blackmail. The case was brought before Brekete Family Radio, a popular human rights programme, where Abbo again denied wrongdoing and insisted it was another attempt to tarnish his image.

Awaiting Police Clarification

As of the time of filing this report, the police have yet to issue an official statement clarifying whether Abbo is under investigation or confirming the details of the alleged incident.

For now, the former senator insists he is the victim of political persecution, while the allegations continue to attract public scrutiny.