A Nigerian developer’s app joins efforts to fight sexual crimes

Helpio allows victims to report cases and seek help amid fear of stigma and soaring sexual assault figures.

Rivers state, Nigeria – On a morning last February, eight-year-old Aminatu Zana – whose real name has been concealed – was raped in her hometown of Kano, Nigeria’s second largest city. The alleged perpetrator was no stranger: a neighbour, who used his familiarity and a bar of chocolate to lure the child into his room, then threatened her if she spoke of his crime. But bloody traces of his assault on Aminatu’s garments gave him away. Her widowed and impoverished mother, Salima, dreaded going to the police but was encouraged by her neighbours to press charges. That itself was uncommon, as due to fear of stigmatisation and lacking trust in legal pathways, many victims in this part of the country do not pursue justice. Aminatu’s story is too frequent in Nigeria, where rape and sexual assaults are epidemics but remain a taboo – especially in the north, where conservative societal codes govern a predominantly Muslim population.