Storytimes Newspapers

  In a firm ruling underscoring the state's commitment to protecting children from sexual violence, the Sokoto State High Court has sentenced 19-year-old Yasir Muhammad to 21 years imprisonment for raping a four-year-old girl. Justice Amina Modi-Yabo delivered the judgment on Tuesday after finding the convict guilty of the heinous offence. The incident reportedly occurred when Muhammad accosted the minor on her way to school in Sokoto State. The court described the crime as "grievous and profoundly reprehensible," highlighting its severe violation of the child's bodily integrity, dignity, and innocence. Justice Modi-Yabo emphasized that the sentence aligns with Section 260 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law, 2019, which prescribes life imprisonment or a minimum term of 21 years for rape convictions. This landmark judgment is seen as sending a strong warning nationwide against sexual crimes targeting minors, reinforcing zero tolerance for such acts in Sokoto State and ...

 In a remarkable display of self-reliance and determination, the people of Gudurega community in Yabo Local Government Area of Sokoto State have taken matters into their own hands to address a long-standing gap in education for their daughters. For over five decades, the community—located in one of Nigeria's northern states where female secondary school enrollment remains low—lacked a dedicated secondary school for girls. Girls who completed primary education often had to travel long distances or drop out entirely due to the absence of nearby secondary options, cultural barriers, and infrastructure challenges. This situation has now changed through sheer community effort. Residents have come together to construct a secondary school specifically for girls, building it "brick by brick" with local resources, labor, and unwavering commitment. The initiative underscores a growing wave of community ownership in education, particularly amid broader efforts in Sokoto State to boo...