A legal practitioner, Barrister Dennis Gapsiso, has dismissed the rape allegations leveled against former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, by one Hadiza Baffa, describing her as a fraudster who had defrauded five of his clients of a total of ₦27 million.
Gapsiso, who addressed journalists in Abuja, said he felt a “civic responsibility to put the record straight” following the viral video in which Hadiza accused Turaki of raping her in 2014 and using his influence to intimidate her into silence.
“My clients – Taye Adewale, Areola Osho, Kolapo Hosieni, Solomon Adenuga, and Omotayo Ifapetu Adiri – were all duped by Hadiza, who paraded herself as the daughter of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki. She collected various sums of money, amounting to ₦27 million, under different false pretenses,” Gapsiso said.
According to him, a petition was lodged at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Area 10, Abuja, on August 30, 2021, and Hadiza was arrested with charms found in her possession. “Ironically, she didn’t want Kabiru Tanimu Turaki to know about her arrest, even though she claimed he was her father. This confirmed she was only using his name without his knowledge,” he added.
Gapsiso explained that his background checks revealed that Hadiza was initially admitted at the University of Maiduguri but was later transferred to Baze University after Turaki assisted her mother, who appealed for help due to insecurity in Maiduguri. However, she was withdrawn in her first year.
“She went around claiming to be a first-class law graduate of Baze University, but that is false. Even while she was in school, she kept extorting money from the former minister under the guise of registration and other expenses. But our concern is not about the minister; our concern is the money she collected from my clients,” the lawyer said.
Narrating one of the cases, Gapsiso revealed that Hadiza deceived his client, Mr. Taye Adewale, into a relationship by faking a pregnancy. “She was introduced to Adewale’s family, who accepted her in anticipation of marriage, only to later discover there was no pregnancy at all. She absconded after duping him,” he stated.
He further alleged that she defrauded another client, Kolapo Hosieni, of ₦7 million after promising him an appointment at ECOWAS. “On inquiry, we discovered she was never a staff of ECOWAS. She also collected ₦5 million from Areola Osho under a false apartment rent deal, while Adenuga and Omotayo lost money to her fake accommodation promises,” he added.
Gapsiso disclosed that Hadiza was in detention for weeks until Turaki intervened. “Barrister Turaki assured us that if the matter was withdrawn, he would pay the money. He did so because he didn’t want her to remain in detention. Unfortunately, Hadiza has remained ungrateful, turning around to scandalize him with false rape claims,” he said.
He concluded by warning the public against falling victim to Hadiza’s schemes. “People like her are ingrates, and their activities discourage others from helping those genuinely in need,” Gapsiso declared.
As of press time, efforts to reach Hadiza Baffa proved abortive as she neither responded to calls nor messages.
In her viral video dated August 17, 2025, Hadiza had vowed to provide evidence of her allegations against Turaki, but none has been made public or submitted to the police.
