Senator Elisha Abbo has denied reports that he was detained at the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja over an allegation of raping a 13-year-old girl.
Reports circulating online claimed that the lawmaker was in police custody over allegations of sexually assaulting a secondary school pupil on June 29.
The report also claimed that he attempted to silence the victim’s family with money.
Reacting in a telephone conversation with Senate correspondents on Friday, Mr Abbo said he was at his residence in Katampe extension, Abuja, throughout Thursday and was not in custody.
“The said report is handiwork of my political detractors. It is an orchestrated smear campaign to disturb my peace by political enemies,” he said.
He admitted that he recently reported a woman to the police for allegedly demanding N5 million from him.
“I personally reported the desperate female money monger to the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), where both of us were later invited for questioning, only for me to be reading or hearing completely different story several weeks after now,” Abbo stated.
Earlier petitions submitted to the inspector general of police by law firm D.I. Aiyedun & Co. accused Abbo of raping a 13-year-old, attempting to rape her 16-year-old sister and threatening their family.
The petition, supported with medical evidence and financial records, also alleged that the girls’ parents were pressured not to pursue the case.
The family further alleged that former Adamawa governorship candidate, Senator Aishatu Ahmed (Binani), visited their home to dissuade them from exposing the matter.
The controversy adds to previous scandals linked to Elisha Abbo, including his 2019 arrest for assaulting a woman in Abuja, an accusation of sex tape blackmail and his removal from the Senate in October 2023 after a court nullified his election.
