NAPTIP said this in a statement by Mr Adekoye Vincent, of the Press and Public Relations Unit, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The agency said the accused were Mr Ahmed Yahaya, Director of Finance, Sokoto State Urban and Regional Planning Board, Mr Ibrahim Isah, the state Internal Auditor and Mr Habibu Abdullahi, the Special Assistant to the Finance Director.

NAPTIP said the case was referred to it by the National Human Rights Commission, Sokoto State Office.

It said that the culprits were said to have carried out the sexual exploitation on the 12-year-old (name withheld) who sold pure water within the jurisdiction of their offices.

It alleged that sometimes in May 2019, the victim came to the office of the suspects seeking financial assistance and they all took the advantage, to have illicit sex with the girl one after the other.

The agency alleged that they all had sex at different times, right inside their offices.

It said that the last person that assaulted the victim sexually was the special assistant to the finance director who, after knowing that his boss was not around lured the girl.

According to the agency, the special assistant to the finance director gave the girl N300 after taking his turn.

According to NAPTIP, in the charge sheet dated Feb. 17, the suspects were slammed with seven-count charge all bordering on sexual exploitation.

It said that the offence contravened the provision of Sections 16 (1), 27(a) and 16 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015.