Shocker in Niger: DNA test confirms 65-year-old man father of granddaughter’s baby

By Abubakar Akote Yabagi

A 65-year- old grandfather identified as Musa Gado has been arrested for allegedly impregnating his 16-year-old granddaughter (name withheld) in Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State.

The Niger State Child Right’s Agency revealed this to journalists at a press briefing addressed by its Director General Hajiya Kaltume Mohammed on Wednesday.

According to Kaltume, a Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA) Test confirmed that Gado, the maternal grandfather of the victim from Mashegu LGA of the state, is the biological father of the four-month-old baby delivered by his granddaughter.

She also said Gado had made several fruitless attempts to abort the pregnancy.

Kaltume revealed that the victim’s father, Mr Lawal Nababa, registered a complaint in 2025 for alleged repeated sexual assaults on his daughter by her maternal grandfather.

The director general said at the time the matter was reported at the agency, the victim was six months pregnant and was kept in the agency’s custody until she delivered a baby boy in December 2025.

She said the teenager, whose parents are still alive, was reportedly taken by her maternal grandmother since childhood.

Mohammed however, said the suspect had denied responsibility of the act, thus forcing the agency to order for the DNA test that was conducted in a laboratory outside Nigeria at the cost of N500,000.

“When the girl was brought to the agency, she was actually six months pregnant. We had to do some medical checkups, and she was kept under the custody of the agency from that time and now.

“She gave birth in December, and we agreed that the only way we could get to the root of the matter and establish the fact was to go for the DNA test, which was agreed by both parties.

“After she gave birth, we waited for her to be strong before we went for the paternity test and within five weeks the result came out and it was announced that the grandfather was the father of the baby because the result was 99.9999 per cent positive,” she said.

The director general revealed that the suspect, currently in Police custody, would be charged to court after police had completed its investigation.

Mohammed also disclosed that the agency was currently handling six similar cases, including that of a father who had been having carnal knowledge of his biological daughter.

“Child molestation and rape is alarming in the state.

“I assumed office as the DG Niger State Child Rights Agency in November 2025, and honestly, we have had a lot of issues of rape where children were molested by their parents, neighbours and some people within the community.

“Right now, we have six cases we are prosecuting and the most important one we are handling right now is that of the 16-year-old girl who was impregnated by her grandfather.

“This case was reported to the agency by the father of the girl on 5th October 2025,” she said. (NAN)