Wednesday 10 December 2014

Over 500 child defilement cases reported in Lagos State in 2014, says AG

Lagos – Mr Ade Ipaye, Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, on Wednesday, said over 500 cases of child defilement cases were reported in the state this year.

Ipaye disclosed this at a Human Rights Essay and Debate Competition organised for private and public schools in Lagos by the Directorate for Citizen’s Rights.

The competiotion was part of activities marking the 2014 World Human Rights Day with the theme: “The Rights of the Child.’’

The commissioner said “this year’s theme was carefully picked in the light of the fact that in the last one year, more than 500 cases of defilement of minors were reported in Lagos.

“We know that children contend with several challenges on daily basis, however, the onus is on parents and guardians to ensure that each child is given necessary care and attention.’’

Ipaye said that the principle of human rights should be inculcated in the youths at their earliest formative stage.

He added that this would ensure that youths imbibed the principles of fairness, non-discrimination, inclusiveness and respect for fellow-beings, irrespective of age.

The Lagos State attorney-general said that the success of all the laws and policies protecting the rights of children depended largely on the cooperation of members of the society.

“I will like to use the opportunity of this occasion to enjoin all residents to partner with government in ensuring that the rights of our children are safeguarded,’’ he pleaded.

In her lecture, a human rights lawyer, Mrs Funmi Falana, said that the Child Rights Act 2003 had not been domesticated in 12 states of the federation.

Falana urged government at all levels to intensify efforts at improving the standard of education through effective funding, sound and workable policies.

She said “children’s education in Nigeria is nothing to boast about. Education is beginning to become commercialised.

“Pondering over the state of the Nigerian child, my heart aches because of the environment they are living and the state of their education.

“Some of these children roam the streets with tattered clothes, with no help from any quarter, some do not even believe in education again but I believe all these can be corrected with the help of government.’’ (NAN)

Lagos – Mr Ade Ipaye, Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, on Wednesday, said over 500 cases of child defilement cases were reported in the state this year.
Ipaye disclosed this at a Human Rights Essay and Debate Competition organised for private and public schools in Lagos by the Directorate for Citizen’s Rights.
The competiotion was part of activities marking the 2014 World Human Rights Day with the theme: “The Rights of the Child.’’
The commissioner said “this year’s theme was carefully picked in the light of the fact that in the last one year, more than 500 cases of defilement of minors were reported in Lagos.
“We know that children contend with several challenges on daily basis, however, the onus is on parents and guardians to ensure that each child is given necessary care and attention.’’
Ipaye said that the principle of human rights should be inculcated in the youths at their earliest formative stage.
He added that this would ensure that youths imbibed the principles of fairness, non-discrimination, inclusiveness and respect for fellow-beings, irrespective of age.
The Lagos State attorney-general said that the success of all the laws and policies protecting the rights of children depended largely on the cooperation of members of the society.
“I will like to use the opportunity of this occasion to enjoin all residents to partner with government in ensuring that the rights of our children are safeguarded,’’ he pleaded.
In her lecture, a human rights lawyer, Mrs Funmi Falana, said that the Child Rights Act 2003 had not been domesticated in 12 states of the federation.
Falana urged government at all levels to intensify efforts at improving the standard of education through effective funding, sound and workable policies.
She said “children’s education in Nigeria is nothing to boast about. Education is beginning to become commercialised.
“Pondering over the state of the Nigerian child, my heart aches because of the environment they are living and the state of their education.
“Some of these children roam the streets with tattered clothes, with no help from any quarter, some do not even believe in education again but I believe all these can be corrected with the help of government.’’ (NAN)
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/500-child-defilement-cases-reported-lagos-state-2014-says-ag/#sthash.YqZxnNJO.dpuf

Monday 8 December 2014

Man flees home after raping daughter

The police are on the trail of a 50-year-old man, Vincent Uzor, who is on the run after allegedly raping his 14-year-old daughter.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the victim was raped last week Tuesday in the Ebute Meta area of Lagos State where Uzor lived with his second wife.
It was gathered that the victim’s mother died about seven years ago after which she started living with her grandmother.
However, when the old woman became plagued with ill health, she was said to have been taken to the Ogijo area of Ogun State, where she stayed with an aunt.
But the aunt, three weeks ago, reportedly sent her to her father in Ebute Meta, saying she wanted to travel.
The Primary four pupil in an interview with our correspondent said her father defiled her while she was in the kitchen.
She said, “My mother died seven years ago. I did not know my father because I grew up with my grandmother. It was when I was 12 years old that I was told I had a father.
“Three weeks ago, my aunty told me I would stay with my father for a few days because she was travelling and did not want to leave me alone at home. That was how I went to stay with my father.
“On Tuesday, around 6.30pm, my father asked me to warm the soup on the stove. He suddenly followed me inside the kitchen and shut the door. I thought he wanted to cane me, and I started begging him.
“Instead, he removed his clothes and pulled my skirt and paints. Then he had sex with me. It was painful and blood gushed out from my private parts. He then said he was sorry.”
The victim said her father gave her N500 for treatment after she complained of pains in her legs.
She added that he took her to a traditional doctor who prescribed some concoction for her.
“My father told me he wanted to travel. I used the money he gave me to buy recharge cards and I called my elder brother and some other people to tell them what happened to me,” she said.
However, before the police could arrive at the scene, Uzor was said to have fled the house.
The victim was reportedly taken to Ogijo, where the matter got to the attention of the Ogun State Coordinator of the Centre for Defence of Human Rights, Mrs. Toyosi Bello.
Bello accused the police of trying to cover up the incident.
She said, “The Denton Police Division wanted to muddle up the matter and I decided to take the case to Nigerians. This girl is almost an orphan and needs help, but the police are trying to compound her problems.”
Our correspondent learnt that the victim and Bello were later connected with a human rights organisation, Project Alert on Violence against Women.
The Coordinator of the group, Mrs. Josephine Effah-Chukwuma, said the 14-year-old had been taken to the hospital for treatment.
She said, “When she got here, we did a referral letter to Mirabel Centre, which is a subsidiary of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. Some medical tests were carried out on her and drugs were given to her.
“She is in our custody in the interim because she cannot go back to either her aunt or father. We discovered her aunt had been physically abusing her. We saw scars all over her body. The aunt then sent her to her father who further sexually abused her.”
Effah-Chukwuma said the group had petitioned the police authorities because the case was not given the attention it deserved, adding that the Denton Police Division had been “notorious in terms of how they respond to sexual abuse cases.”
A letter, dated December 4 and addressed to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, claimed that the policemen handling the case connived with Uzor’s second wife to rubbish it.
It added that the Lagos State Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Women Affairs (Child Department) had been notified.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, told our correspondent that the police had commenced investigations, adding that justice would be served.
He said, “The case was reported at the station. The division has not closed the matter.
“It is presently under investigation and I am aware the father of the girl is not around.
“The matter is now at the SCID.”

Thursday 4 December 2014

Rise in rape of minors: Commissioner raises alarm

The Plateau State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has raised alarm over the increasing rate of rape of minors in the State and appeals to parents of victims to stop covering up such act due to shame but come forward to report same as rape is a criminal offense against the State.


The Ministry’s Commissioner, Mrs. Sarah Yusuf, who spoke with Vanguard Metro, VM, through the Ministry’s Director of Child Welfare, Mr. Gwamfar Kannap, decried the alarming increase in the rape of minors by older men, a situation only heard about in far places.

The Commissioner who attributed the increase to drunkenness, rituals and other factors further lamented the unwillingness of parents and relations of victims to come forward with timely information due to fear of stigmatisation, ignorance and shame despite series of sensitization campaign. She stated that in recent months, the Ministry has received over 10 cases involving girls between the ages of five and 15 with the suspected rapists being between the ages of 30 and 70.

Mrs. Yusuf added that it is worrisome that the nefarious act is not limited to tribe or religion because those arrested cut across the adherents of Muslim, Christian religions and the traditionalists.

According to the Commissioner: “It is alarming the rate of reported cases of rape of minors in the State in recent weeks. We never really have this problem in the past, this is a new phenomenon and it is becoming a problem for us.

“Many factors are contributing to it. One of these is traditional medicine. Some believe that if you have HIV and you sleep with a girl who is a virgin, you will be cured. Some see that as a way of advancing their political ambitions. There are the issues of poverty and drugs we need to also be addressed.”

Successful prosecution

Meanwhile, the Commissioner stressed that “so far, one person has been successfully prosecuted and jailed, seven cases are pending in various courts and three persons are currently in detention.”

However, recent cases in the Corner Shagari area of Jos North involving a teenage girl and six men, that involving a three-year old and a middle aged man at Tudun Wada area of the local government as well as that of a five year old girl and a man in his 30s at Bukuru in Jos South local government area among several that necessitated an alarm being raised.

The State Police Command through the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Abuh Emmanuel confirmed there has been increase in the reports of rape cases from across the State, saying that “there is increase awareness that rape is a serious crime. We are arresting, investigating and prosecuting suspects because we want to sound a warning to others to desist from such criminal act.”

Source

Man, 27, rapes 11-yr-old girl with Down’s Syndrome

BENIN—A 27-year-old man, Austin Okonkwo, has been remanded in prison custody by an Evboriaria Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ikpoba-Okha, Edo State, for allegedly raping an 11-year-old Down Syndrome girl.

The accused, who was described with unprintable words when his victim was presented in the court, pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge preferred against him.

Police Prosecutor, Aigbedion Obakpolor, informed the court that the offence was committed on November 29.

When the case was mentioned, Chief Magistrate Frank Idiake, who refused the bail application, said rape cases were on the increase.

A relative of the victim, who pleaded anonymity after the court sitting, said the accused took the girl to his room where the act was committed.

The relative said the victim cried of pains in her private part, which led to the arrest of the accused.

The case was adjourned to January 21, 2015 for continuation of trial.

Source

Wednesday 3 December 2014

Ogun court remands man, 32, over rape

An Abeokuta Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting at Isabo, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Wednesday remanded a 32-year-old man, Saheed Egbeleye, in prison for allegedly raping a 21-year-old physically-challenged woman.
The address and occupation of the accused were not disclosed.
According to the prosecutor, Sunday Eigbejiale, the accused committed the offence on November 29 at the Ilawo Compound, Adedotun area of Abeokuta.
He said, “There was a wedding ceremony in progress in the compound. The accused took advantage of the crowded, noisy place and told the lady that her father was calling her.
“He took her into a room and raped her, he was caught in the act when people around heard the lady screaming.”
The prosecutor argued that the offence contravened Sections 357 and 358 of the Criminal Laws of Ogun, 2006.
The accused person’s plea was not taken by the court.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Anthony Araba, ordered that the accused be remanded in Ibara Prison while awaiting the Director of Public Prosecution’s advice.
The case has been adjourned till February 13 for mention
 
 

Tuesday 2 December 2014

A Letter to Bokoharam by Heart Broken Nigerian Women

Dear Management and staff of Bokoharam,

Our hearts are full of sadness and pain as we write you today dated 2nd December, 2014. We are fully convinced that you will see, read, and reflect over the content of this letter. We stand in the gap for ALL Nigerian Women representing every female baby, child, girl and adult. We could as well pass for your mothers, sisters, wives and daughters because we know for sure that you have women in your individual lives.
It is a well known fact globally that women bear the brunt of violence and terrorism and this has been the glaring case in Nigeria since you came on the scene with your violent strategies that has practically rendered our Northern States incapacitated.
We have suffered exorbitantly from the venom of your anger and violence that we are left in awe of what you really want from all these. You have maimed, murdered, slaughtered and killed our children, husbands and relations like rams in the abattoirs.
We have been thrown into consistent mourning, weeping and gnashing of teeth from the deep seated wounds you have engraved in our hearts and in this moment of despair we silently wish we had not given birth to you. We do not communicate this wish but that is how we feel. Sure, if you were not born, we would have had a society without bokoharam.
How happy we were when we were told that we were pregnant for you? We were so happy and our joy knew no bounds when we announced your presence to your fathers. We celebrated, danced and made merry at your birth because we thought we were blessed with male children whom used to be the pride of our nation. We were very proud to be called Uwar, Mama, and Iya – Shekau, Mohammed, Sani, Murktar, Obere etc.
Today, the sadness in our Spirit has deleted the happiness and curiosity we felt when we carried you in our wombs for 9 months. We are even deeply saddened when we see your age groups who have made Nigeria proud by standing out in the crowd like the shining amour.
Now, you will want to defend your actions by saying you were not given equal grounds. You could even argue that it is one of the  reasons why you are fighting. The truth is that they faced their own challenges as well but refused to succumb to the dark path of terrorism which you have chosen.
You even said you are fighting for God but any God who cannot fight for him/herself is definitely not qualified to be God. The God we serve is meant to fight for us not the other way around. How can you, a mere mortal fight for an immortal God?
Your actions against us are far hurting than the pain and labour of child birth. Remember, when you kidnapped the CHIBOK girls? We went crazy, many of us died imagining what our daughters were going through in your hands. We walked the streets of Nigeria calling for their release.
Some of us even walked naked with tears streaming down our eyes and breasts but all fell on your deaf ears. The whole world joined in the campaign but mercy did not touch your hearts to release the girls. We can’t believe, we gave birth to you.
bring back our girls bokoharam
Till today, the girls left in your custody will continue to be the memories of the carnage of your destruction forever. You boldly told us that you have married them off. Married them off to whom? Many of them are already pregnant with your breeds that definitely will carry on your nefarious acts.
Will you truly rejoice when those children are born knowing you have sacrificed their lives in the altar of darkness? How happy will you be when someone else kidnap your children and marry them off without your consent? Don’t you know that what ever comes around goes around?
At will, you bombed the market places being fully aware we are always at the markets struggling to make a living for our children. You bombed the schools at will being fully aware that our children are there. At will you bombed the churches and the mosques being fully aware that we are always there praying for our families which includes you. You have destroyed our homes and made us refugees in our own country and we now live off charities.
The war you have declared on Nigeria is actually war against WOMEN. What did we do to deserve these? What really is your intention? We know. Yes, you thought that by declaring war against Women that the government will surrender to you? You are absolutely wrong.
Do you not see that irrespective of your nefarious acts that the government hardly pays attention other than send few words of condolences to us? Do you not see that their main preoccupation is their campaign for 2015 elections? Do you not see that their lives are filled with luxury and numerous trips abroad? Do you not know that their children are all away from Nigeria? You see, you can never get their attention by putting us through sleepless nights because you are not priority to them at all.
We actually thought that the worst you could do was the kidnap of the CHIBOK girls but alas! You came along with another strategy – using women and girls as suicide bombers! Using our daughters to destroy us? Oh! how evil can you get? This is the final straw!
The only offence we committed against you is giving birth to you. We wish we can turn back the hand of time. We wish we had power to see into the future -today.  May be we would have taken critical decision about your birth.
However we wish, we cannot change the time but you can change because we know that deep down your hearts are the cheerful and loving sons we had and are proud of.
It is time to sheath your swords! It is time to label correctly and address the issues of your grievances accordingly! It is time you stop this violence against Women! It is 16 days of activism! It is your time for change!
On behalf of Nigerian Women whom you have abused sexually, emotionally, physically, rendered childless, turned to widows and refugees.

Thursday 27 November 2014

Rape: Man Remanded For Impregnating 15-yr-old


A Kuje Magistrate Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has remanded a 24-year-old mason, Mukailu Ajibe, for impregnating a 15-year-old student.

Ajibe, who resides at Anguwan Gade in Kuje, is facing a two-count charge of abduction and adultery.
The presiding judge, Mr Azubike Okeagwu, remanded Ajibe after he pleaded guilty to the offence and adjourned hearing till Dec.12 for sentence.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Niyiom Ishaya, told the court that the report was lodged at the Kuje Police Station on Oct. 16, by one Mr. Ismaila Jezhi, who resides at Local Education Authority (L.E.A) in Kuje.

Ishaya said that on the same date the complaint was filed, the complainant had reported that his daughter was missing for a week.

When the complainants’ daughter returned home she said she was with Ajibe at Anguwan Gade Area. She was discovered to be pregnant and said that Ajibe was responsible.

The prosecutor said that during police interrogation, Mukail admitted that he was responsible for the pregnancy.

Ishaya also said the offence contravenes the provision of sections 272 and 387 of the penal code.

Source

13-YR-OLD GIRL’S HORROR: ‘My stepfather serially raped, impregnated me!’

Parents and adults generally have responsibility to care for, educate, and discipline children but when the children begin to detest the parents, then the situation calls for concern.

13 -year-old Blessing Chia allegedly fell victim to regular beating by his step father, Mr Benjamin Richard, 35, who, as she claimed, later lusted after her.

The allegation by the girl that the step father serially raped her to the point of her getting pregnant is a subject of police investigations.

Blessing told Sunday Vanguard, “The first time my mother was not around, he took cane and was beating me and told me that if I messed up, he would kill me, that if I shouted or if my mummy heard anything about it, he was going to kill me.

“So the one that happened on Thursday, November 13, 2014,   I told him that I would tell my mummy and I dared to see if he would kill me. So l told my mummy.
Richard,the suspect, strongly denies allegation

Richard,the suspect, strongly denies allegation

He raped me four times, the first time was when my mother travelled to Makurdi, Benue State.’’

Blessing’s mother, Mrs Grace Richard, 30, said her daughter reported to her that the stepfather raped her but her husband denied it when she confronted him.

She confirmed that it was during the period she traveled to her home state (Benue) and left her daughter in the care of her stepfather that he first allegedly raped her.

‘’That was two months ago when I travelled to Makurdi and she told me immediately I came back,” the mother said.

“My husband denied and even threatened to beat me black and blue if l ever asked him such a question again”.

Grace said she was not, in the real sense of it, married to the father of Blessing whom she had at the age of 17 before the father died in a motor accident last year.

Blessing’s mother said she and her current husband have been together for four years during which she had a boy child for him. The boy, she said, lives with her mother-in-law.

Mrs Martina Moses, Grace’s elder sister, told Blessing’s story to Sunday Vanguard.

‘’I was in Gwagalape on Thursday when my sister called me around 5pm to help settle an issue Blessing had with a neighbour over SIM card.’’

She continued: ‘’While in their house, I saw my sister’s husband and I asked him where my sister was. He said my sister was on her way to home, that he sent her to collect money from a friend.

‘’I then asked after my niece, Blessing. Richard got angry and said the girl was very stubborn, that he was going to tie her up in a room before dropping me off . He said if he didn’t tie the girl up, she would run away. He tied the girl’s hands and feet in my presence. I pleaded on my niece’s behalf with his stepfather to no avail.

‘’Later that night, my sister came to my house around 11pm and I asked her what she was doing outside that late. She told me that her husband was threatening her.

‘’Grace was afraid to go back home because she was sure Richard would beat her up. That prompted her to go to her elder sister, Martina’s house, so that Martina could follow her back home in order to stop Richard carrying out his threat of beating her. And because it was late in the night, Grace was forced to pass the night at the elder sister’s place.

‘’The following day, being Friday, Martina sent somebody to Richard’s place to bring Blessing. But rather releasing Blessing to the man Martina sent, Richard took the girl on his motorcycle to Martina’s house himself.

‘’On getting to Martina’s house, Blessing ran into her aunty’s arms, and wept profusely after which she claimed that her mother’s husband raped her four times.

‘’After listening to Blessing, Martina said she took the girl to Richard and asked her to repeat what she told her inside in the presence of the stepfather and Blessing repeated everything.

“Right there, l told my sister and her husband that the rape issue will not be swept under the carpet. l asked my brother to go and report the issue at a police station, but my brother advised that we first report the matter to Richard’s mother. It was then that Richard’s mother said we should take Blessing for test, and that took us to Aso police station where we were referred to Nyanya police station since the alleged rape took place in Nyanya.

“When we got to Nyanya police station, the police interrogated the stepfather and he denied yet again. It was at that point the police locked him up.

‘’The police told Richard that the only thing that could save him was if the result of the test indicated that Blessing was still a virgin, but the test showed that Blessing had not only been deflowered but also pregnant. Meanwhile, the police that had the hospital report with them did not disclose the number of weeks Blessing has been pregnant.

‘’We went back to the police station the following day after Richard was detained, only to be told that his father had bailed him.

‘’On getting back to Richard’s house after he was bailed, he tried to convince his neighbours to accept that Blessing was wayward, but his neighbours refused to play along with him. Rather they claimed they heard Blessing screaming on that Thursday but did know the reason.’’

The investigating police officer, IPO, in charge of the case, who did not want her name mentioned, told Sunday Vanguard that Blessing was indeed pregnant but that investigations were in progress.

At press time, Richard had been re-arrested by the police.

Source

Tuesday 18 November 2014

Police arraign man for rape, abortion


A thirty-year-old man, Sherif Afolabi, has been brought before an Apapa Magistrate’s Court for having unlawful carnal knowledge of a 16-year-old girl.

It was learnt that Afolabi defiled the teenager, who was said to be a virgin sometime in December 2013 in the Ilogbo, Ajangbadi area of Lagos.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the girl, who had kept mum about the act, became confused when she noticed that she was pregnant a few months later.

Our correspondent learnt that Afolabi allegedly aborted the pregnancy when the victim informed him of the development.

The victim’s parents, it was gathered, reported the incident at the Ilemba-Hausa Police Division when the girl became unconscious due to the effect of the drug Afolabi gave her.

The defendant was subsequently arrested and arraigned before the magistrate, Mrs. O.I. Adelaja, on two counts bordering on rape and abortion.

The charges read, “That you, Sherif Afolabi, on December 2013, at the Ilogbo area of Ajangbadi, in the Apapa Magisterial District, did have unlawful sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old girl (name withheld) and defiled her virginity, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

“That you, sometime in 2014, at about 10am, at the Ilogbo area of Ajangbadi, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did unlawfully procure abortion of an unborn child by terminating the pregnancy of a 16-year-old girl (name witheld), and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 234 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”
Afolabi, however, pleaded not guilty.

He was admitted to bail in the sum of N200,000 with a surety in like sum.

“The surety must tender to the prosecutor, evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government and his/her residential address must be verified,” Ajangbadi added.
The matter was adjourned till December 1, 2014.

I specialize in breaking into homes to rape housewives

Dutse—Jigawa State command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, has arrested 30-year-old Umar Mohammed of Sakwaya village in Dutse Local Government Area for breaking into people’s homes to rape their wives.

rape-toon

According to NSCDC, the accused person confessed that he specialized in breaking into people’s houses in the area at midnight to forcibly rape housewives.

Commandant of the Corps, Dr. Muhammad Gidado, who disclosed this while parading the man before the press in his office yesterday, said he had received several complaints about late night rape cases.

He told newsmen that the suspect had admitted to jumping through perimeter fencing to break into homes, not to steal, but to rape women.

The commandant said since the accused person confessed to the crime, it made their job easier, adding that the suspect would be arraigned in court on completion of investigation into the matter.


Source
Dutse—Jigawa State command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, has arrested 30-year-old Umar Mohammed of Sakwaya village in Dutse Local Government Area for breaking into people’s homes to rape their wives.
rape-toon
According to NSCDC, the accused person confessed that he specialized in breaking into people’s houses in the area at midnight to forcibly rape housewives.
Commandant of the Corps, Dr. Muhammad Gidado, who disclosed this while parading the man before the press in his office yesterday, said he had received several complaints about late night rape cases.
He told newsmen that the suspect had admitted to jumping through perimeter fencing to break into homes, not to steal, but to rape women.
The commandant said since the accused person confessed to the crime, it made their job easier, adding that the suspect would be arraigned in court on completion of investigation into the matter.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/specialize-breaking-homes-rape-housewives/#sthash.dixez7eK.dpuf

How I Impregnated My 14-Year Daughter

The girl-child has always been mapped out as endangered species in a world that no longer knows the boundary between morality and infidelity. This is why the clamour for protection and guidance for the girl-child has risen in leaps and bounds. However, despite all the checks put in place by the government and different non-governmental organisations, this fight seem to be on the loosing side as stories abound of abuses meted out to these youngsters.
Surprisingly, most of this abuse stem from loved ones, family members and close family friends and this was the case recently when a father chose to toe the part of a beast by abusing the trust reposed in him by virtue of his position as a father.
For 14-year-old Kehinde Onajobi, her dreams and aspirations to finish school seemed to be shattered, not by poverty or financial lack, but in the hands of her father whom instead of chasing the wolves away from the doorsteps of the growing teenager became the wolve in desecrating his daughter.
For the 50-year-old farmer, Yesiru Onajobi from Bogije in Ibeju Lekki Local government Area of Lagos State, he blamed his moments of madness on the fact that the daughter always slept naked. According to him, “we have been living together since when she was a little girl and we always sleep in the same room. I started sleeping with her last December because she was always naked in the night when she wants to sleep.” Whatever happened to fatherhood, some observers wondered as he spoke to journalists.
Speaking through an interpreter, Onajobi said he was sad for what happened. Stating the reason why he used his daughter as a sleeping partner, he added that since his wife died 4 years ago, he longed for female companionship but none was forthcoming. When asked why he resorted to his daughter, he blamed the devil.
Speaking to THISDAY, Kehinde who was carrying her four-day-old baby appealed to the government to come and take the baby from her, so that she can get her life back on track as she could not even breastfeed the baby. The reasons for this is that it is an abomination in her town and so the innocent child would have to rely on baby food instead of breastfeeding which is what the new born needs now. Perhaps, this influenced her reason of not yet naming the baby girl.
Disclosing how the nefarious activity that left her pregnant and finally, the delivery of the baby for her own father, Kehinde said, “My father came to me in the night and slept with me. I told him that I might get pregnant but he said I will not.”
To get the motherless girl not to disclose to anybody what was going on, Kehinde claimed her father threatened her with death if another person should be privy to the affair. According to her, “he told me that I would die if anybody knows what is happening between us but along the line my twin brother knew but he didn’t tell anybody until I got pregnant, then he went to report to our relatives.”
THISDAY learnt that in a bid not to get her pregnant, the man resorted to sleeping with her four days after her menstrual period but fate, as always, had another plan because despite the man’s carefulness, his daughter came to him one day with the disturbing news that she was pregnant. Kehinde added that he took her to the hospital where she was confirmed pregnant and he told her to carry the baby to term. She said, “when people were looking at me and mocking me, I told him that I had missed my period and he took me to the hospital and it was true so he told me to keep it.”
The bubble burst one day as the man’s family stormed their quarters demanding to know who put her in the family way. Kehinde, who could not point out her father as the culprit told them that it was someone else. Undaunted, the family members who had earlier been told by Kehinde’s twin brother, Taiwo, tied up the man and took the teenager to another place where she confessed the sordid details to the shock of the family.
Commenting on the sad incident, the Deputy PRO, Samuel Jinadu said,” when the villagers realised what happened, they sent Yesiru out of their village and he ran to Elemoro Police Division and gave a fictitious account but on closer investigation by the DPO, he found out that he impregnated his daughter. The villagers sent him out of the village because he had committed an abomination which is strange to their culture.”
He advised that grown men and women should desist from such barbaric acts that would taint the kids throughout their lifetime. According to him, “instead let the adults preach morality to their children. This case is a clear case of defilement of a minor and it would be duly taken to court and let the court met out justice to the offending party.”
However, a conflicting story of the man’s arrest by an officer who didn’t want her name in print stated that the man was apprehended when he wanted to smuggle the baby out. According to her, he took the baby and was about boarding a bus, when the passengers got suspicious and wondered what an old man like that was doing with a young baby.
Fielding questions, he gave out different accounts and this aroused the suspicion of the passengers and they dragged him to Elemoro Police Division in Lekki, where he was probed until he admitted the truth. The arrest of the 50-year old father, raises questions of those not yet discovered or known as this acts has on countless times been brought to the public glare by acts of providence.
Many argue that the girl-child’s care and protection should be taken more seriously than ever before.

Source

Saturday 15 November 2014

‘Uncle’ raped me for four years – 16-yr-old house help impregnated by master

No one could have imagined that 16-year-old Gloria (not real name) was just two weeks away from the delivery of a child on September 3, 2014.
“I noticed her neck was full and darker, those were the only signs I saw. So, I asked if she was pregnant. Her expression and answer showed she had no idea she was indeed pregnant,” a neighbour who unravelled the mystery of the pregnancy told Saturday PUNCH.
Gloria, a year one senior secondary school student, lives with his married brother unaware that she was about to become a mother. But buried deeply in the girl’s heart was a painful secret she had never told a soul.
The inquisitive neighbour was unconvinced. She approached Gloria’s sister-in-law, who also expressed the same concern that she was afraid the girl might be pregnant.
“The sister-in-law had even taken the girl to the hospital and had her urine tested for pregnancy. But the test was negative. But I insisted we take her back to hospital for a blood test instead. I even had to pay for that,” the neighbour, who pleaded anonymity, said. The test result was positive. Gloria was pregnant.
With threats, pleading and persuasion, Gloria’s brother, Obi, tried to get the truth about who was responsible out of Gloria, but the little girl was too afraid to tell the truth.
Saturday PUNCH decided to withhold the identity of the girl and those of her relations because she is still a minor according to provisions of the Lagos State Child Rights Law, 2007.
The same neighbour, who had been friends with the family for some years, eventually got the girl to tell the truth, which shocked the girl’s brother.
When our correspondent spoke with Gloria on Thursday, there was no sign that she could have been the mother of the child she held in her arms.
Timid and innocent, she looked at the floor as she spoke softly, delving into the account of a sexual abuse she had gone through in the last five years.
When Gloria’s brother brought her to Lagos seven years ago from their village in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, it was to give her a semblance of a better life, different from the pathetic one she was said to be living in. Their mother had just died at the time, while their aged father back in the village was not doing too well financially.
“She was living with me along with some of my friends at the time. Things were still rough for me and I was single.” Obi said.
Not long after this, Obi’s good friend from Anambra State, a trader living in Mangoro area of Lagos named Ugochukwu Okparanta, said he would take over the care of the girl to ease the financial burden off his friend while the girl would help his wife with house chores.
“I was nine when I started living with Uncle (Okparanta). But two years after I got there, he started raping me,” Gloria began. “He started one day when I was washing plates and he started to touch me in the private part and breast.”
Okparanta
Okparanta
The girl became tearful. Her voice shook and trailed off. But our correspondent assured her that she was not going to be in trouble of any kind by telling her story. Then she continued.
“He started by petting me, telling me I would like it. I refused and became afraid. Then he threatened me. He would tell me that I would be in trouble if I did not do what he wanted,” Gloria said.
Asked why she could not report the problem to her brother, the girl said she thought nobody would believe her.
“If I told Madam (Okparanta’s wife), she would say I lied against her husband,” Gloria explained. Then came one night, while her boss’ wife slept in the couple’s room, Okparanta sneaked out to the room Gloria shared with his own daughter, an older girl.
She said, “He told me to follow him to the sitting room. I obeyed. He raped me and while he did it, I was about to scream, but he covered my mouth with his hand very tightly. I was bleeding when he finished and I became more scared but he smiled and said the blood was normal.
“After that, he would rape me almost every night. Madam did not know anything. Anytime I refused, Uncle would threaten to deal with me. There was a day I refused and when I greeted him the following day, he did not answer me.
“He reported me to his wife that I had become pompous in his house and that I no longer greeted him.”
This sexual abuse would continue for four years, according to the girl, until 2013 when his brother got married and brought her back to help around the house.
However, in January 2014, the sexual abuse the girl had kept secret and thought was over would come back to haunt her.
“His wife had just had a miscarriage and I was sent to go and help her for a few days. But in the afternoon, when his children had gone to school, he dragged me to his children’s room and raped me,” Gloria said.
Few days before that day, our correspondent learnt that Gloria’s brother had even gone to his ‘magnanimous’ friend, bearing a bottle of wine, to thank him for taking care of his sister over the years.
“I did not know in my wildest dream that the man I see as my friend would do such a terrible thing to my sister,” he said.
Nobody knew what damage had been done until September 2014 when the symptoms of pregnancy started to manifest in the girl’s body.
“She is one of those people who could be pregnant and her flat tummy would not make anyone suspicious. I thought that if she was pregnant, it would be in early stages and could be aborted. I had no idea that she would deliver in a few days,” the neighbour told our correspondent.
The day Gloria gave birth, the girl who knew nothing about motherhood was in labour for hours in her room and thought she was having a stomach ache.
She only screamed when her water broke, it was learnt. But she had a crisis-free delivery and gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
“I have never had sex with any other boy before. I can swear on my life,” she said.
When Gloria’s angry brother and other relations confronted Okparanta with the rape allegation, he denied initially.
“He later admitted that he slept with her only once,” Obi said.
When Saturday PUNCH spoke with Okparanta on the phone, he initially went from feigning ignorance to outright denial.
But when he was asked why he sent a cheque of N50,000, to the girl’s brother, he hesitated a little and admitted he raped the girl once.
“It is a lie that I started sleeping with her since she was 11. Even last year, I did not sleep with her,” Okparanta said.
“Yes, I gave her brother a cheque because they were accusing me that I was responsible,” he continued.
But did he think he could be responsible since he has admitted sleeping with the girl?
He said, “I only slept with her once in January and she was not a virgin at the time. That was the last time I did it. I was not the first person to sleep with her. I am not the one that deflowered her.
“I was sleeping in the sitting room at the time. I just felt someone touching me. I just did not know how I slept with her after that. I hated her since then.”
Our correspondent asked if it was true that he and his wife had accused the girl of being possessed, Okparanta said, “I did not know what came over me that made me sleep with her. I told his brother after the incident that he should take her to a church for deliverance.”
He told our correspondent that he did not tell his friend that he ever slept with his sister.
“No, I did not. I just hated the girl and felt she should not have made me to do such a bad thing. I am currently discussing with the family to see how we can take care of the baby if indeed I am responsible.”
Child rights activist, Esther Ogwu, who had taken up the case, said taking responsibility for the care of the child was just a first step.
Ogwu, who is the Executive Director of Esther Child Rights Foundation, said, “We are working to ensure that justice is done in this matter. But the welfare of the mother and child is paramount. We are taking the matter to the police, who will invite Okparanta for interrogation.
“But it is necessary for families to be wary of the environment where children they put children they bring to Lagos from their villages. Many of such children often times are abused by adults who take advantage of their ignorance and innocence.”

Thursday 30 October 2014

Mechanic allegedly abducts, rapes 13-yr-old girl for 5 days -

LOKOJA— A Lokoja senior magistrate’s court has remanded a 28-year-old mechanic, Abdulkadir Salihu, in prison custody for allegedly abducting and raping a teenage girl for five days.

Mrs Joyce Abdulmalik of Lokoja Senior Magistrate Court 1 gave the order, yesterday, in her ruling on arraignment of the accused in Lokoja.

The accused was arraigned on a two-count charge of kidnapping and rape, being offences contrary to Sections 273 and 283 of the Penal Code Law.

Prosecuting police officer, Corporal Ubi Ubana, told the court that one Adama Ibrahim of Galilee Street, Lokoja reported the matter at the ‘A’ Division Police headquarters and Department of Criminal Investigation, Lokoja on October 23.

According to him, Ibrahim had alleged that on October 16, at about 1:25 pm, his niece (names withheld), aged 13, was sent to buy Okro from Adankolo New Layout Market, when the accused “enticed her into his house on Agbai Street.”

The accused, who he said did this without the consent of her guardian, also had carnal knowledge of the victim without her consent.

He added that Salihu went further to lock up the girl in his room from October 16 to 20 of same month, to enable him have unfettered access to her.

“During the period, he had sex with his captive for several times before releasing her on October 20,” he said.

Ubana who told the court that investigation into the case was ongoing, and urged it to remand the accused in Koton-Karfe prisons, in view of the enormity of his offence.

In her ruling, Abdulmalik upheld the submission of the prosecution and ordered that the accused be remanded at the Medium Security Federal Prisons, Koton-Karfe and subsequently adjourned the case to November 10 for mention.
Source

Saturday 25 October 2014

Marital Rape: Who Will Push The Cause Of Victims?

Though a hardly talked about topic, rape is a problem in many matrimonial homes. The unfortunate scenario in this case is that the victims live with their abusers and are often too scared to voice out their pain, for societal, cultural and other such reasons. Catherine Agbo and Ruth Choji, Abuja and Solomon Ayado, Makurdi, write
In July 2013, one Maryam Yahaya made a confessional statement to the police in Plateau State that she killed her husband, Lawal Bala, by stabbing him with a knife on his neck while the deceased was sleeping in his bedroom in his home at Layin Sidi, Gangare, in Jos North local government area of the state, shortly after he returned from his business.
The 17-year-old Maryam, who claimed to have been forcefully married to the deceased, not long before the incident, told the police that she had to end her late husband’s life because she could no longer contend with his insatiable appetite for sex, alleging that he often had sexual intercourse with her up to six times in a day and would force her against her wish most of the time.
Stories of men having forceful sexual intercourse with their wives against their wishes abound. As Africans, it is unheard of in this part of the world that a woman would accuse her husband of raping her as she is deemed to be his property by virtue of the dowry he paid on her and can do with her as he wishes, including having sexual intercourse with her even against her wish. Cases of marital rape abound.
Marital rape is a situation where someone uses violence or the threat of violence to force their wife or husband to have sex. Reporting rape in marriage may become even more complicated because of a woman’s relationship to her assailant. Women raped by their husbands may hesitate to report because of family loyalty, fear of their abuser’s retribution, inability to leave the relationship, or they may not know that rape in marriage is against the law.
In November 2013, a 45-year-old trader, Muina Adelami, asked a Lagos Family Court in Lagos State to dissolve her eight-year-old marriage to her husband, Shuaib, a clerical officer, on the ground that his sex drive was high. According to her, the husband would have sex with her against her wish and beat her if she resisted him. She recalled an incident when she fainted and after assisting her to come round, he continued having sex with her.
“We start having sex every night just before midnight and this goes on till the early hours of the next day. Many times, immediately after he comes back from work, he starts demanding for sex. He would refuse to stand up even when I am crying and will start beating me whenever I complain. There were times I did faint, but when I regain consciousness, he would start again. The way he’s going, he will kill me. I now look older than my age mates due to too much sex,” she told the court.
In his defence, Shuaib admitted to having a high sex drive, but added that it was his right to have sex with his wife, adding that sex cannot kill her.
Speaking on the issue of marital rape, a lawyer, Emmanuel Adoga stated that “both the Penal Code which is applicable in northern states, and the Criminal Code (in the west) define rape to be sexual intercourse with a woman or carnal knowledge of a woman when consent is obtained by use of fraud, force, intimidation, threats to life, or physical harm. “Carnal knowledge” and sexual intercourse are defined for the purposes of both codes as acts of penetration. Under the Criminal Code, a woman may be prosecuted under the law prohibiting “unnatural” intercourse for “permitting” a man to have such intercourse with her. It is thus only when it can be proved that a person has contravened the ingredients of an offence as defined by the relevant penal legislation that such a person can be found guilty of committing that offence.”
Continuing, he said, “concerning marital rape, the question is whether or not a man can be liable for the offence of rape against his wife and therefore necessarily entails the consideration of the provisions of the Criminal Code Act Cap C17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (applicable as Laws of the various States in the Southern part of Nigeria except Lagos State where the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 applies) and the Penal Code Act (applicable in the FCT, Abuja and also applicable as Laws of the various northern states) to ascertain the physical and mental elements of the offence because Rape is defined in Section 357 of the Criminal Code and by Section 358 of the Code; the offence is punishable with imprisonment for life with or without caning. Section 357 of the Criminal Code provides: Any person who has unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman or girl, without her consent, or with her consent, if the consent is obtained by force or by means of threats or intimidation of any kind, or by fear of harm, or by means of false and fraudulent representation as to the nature of the act, or, in the case of a married woman, by personating her husband, is guilty of an offence which is called rape. But Section 282 (2) states that, (2) Sexual intercourse by a man with his own wife is not rape, if she has attained puberty and because of this law, in the North, a man can only be guilty of the offence of rape against his wife if his wife has not attained the age of puberty. And that is why when women report cases of marital rape to the police, they find it hard to provide adequate assistance. The victim who has found the police to be unresponsive will then refuse to open up again. They will rather speak to their religious advisers who don’t really help except to encourage them to bear it. Women who are raped by their husbands are likely to experience multiple assaults and often suffer severe long-term physical and emotional consequences. It is most times more traumatic than rape by a stranger because a wife lives with her assailant and she may live in constant terror of another assault whether she is awake or asleep.”
A psychologist, Mr Adebayo Adewuti, said, “emotional reactions to marital rape can be very dramatic and severe because the act is done by an intimate partner. The effects could be injuries to the vaginal and anal areas, scrapes, cuts, bruises and soreness, torn muscles, fatigue, vomiting, broken bones, injuries caused by weapons, miscarriages or stillbirths, contraction of sexually-transmitted infections, including HIV, shock, anxiety and intense fear, depression, suicidal ideation, acute and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), loss of trust, shock, anxiety and intense fear, depression, suicidal ideation and acute and PTSD. Marital rape survivors may have flash backs, inability to trust, depression, and traumatic stress disorder, indignation and persecution of all forms of rape will take time. The physical effects of spousal rape are the same effects suffered by any rape victim and it could be that, some marital rape victims don’t realise they have been raped as they are under the mistaken impression that partners cannot rape each other.
He further categorised rape as battering rape, which occurs when physical and sexual violence occur together, saying in this instance, victims may experience physical and sexual violence at the same time or one may occur after another and that the rape may occur after the physical violence as an attempt to “make up.”
“There are different types of marital rape and these include force-only rape that does not include physical violence, obsessive rape involves torture or perverse sexual acts,” Adewuti added.
A Muslim cleric, Mallam Yahaya Sani, stated that forcing a wife into sex or marital rape is forbidden in Islam.
“If a man calls his wife to bed and she refuses, and then he sleeps angry, the angels shall curse her until he awakens.” Qur’an, 2.187 ‘they are garments for you and you are garments for them,” and this is how each spouse acts, emotionally, physically, and spiritually for the other. The spouse should fulfil the sexual needs of the other such that their desires are brought into check and they are able to stay away from the haram, both major (such as fornication). Muslim couples who are happy in bed are happy in their marriage. Islam is a religion of peace, and honours women and most of the hadith talks about how to treat women. Ibn Abidin says, ‘among the rulings of marriage is that each spouse is allowed to derive sexual pleasure from the other. Both husband and wife have the right to fulfil each other’s sexual needs.
“That is why the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said that, “If a man calls his wife to bed and she refuses, and then he sleeps angry, the angels shall curse her until he awakens.” It is not sexual abuse rather, it is to protect the marriage bed and keep it undefiled, where each spouse rushes to fulfil the rights and desires of the other. The messenger of Allah also stated that, ‘the most perfect of believers are those most perfect of character; and the best of you are the best of you to your spouses. The best of you are the best to their wives, and I am the best of you with my wives. He created for you spouses from yourselves that ye might find rest. A Muslim husband is forbidden to harm or abuse his wife! He has to act kindly towards his wife. Islam also says that ‘O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may take away part of the dower ye have given them, except where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and God brings about through it a great deal of good.’ Qu’ran An-nisa 19 also says, ‘we all know that, husband’s urges are so strong, and to prevent him from acting out on them illicitly, a wife’s duty therefore is to submit (but cannot be forced) in order to preserve the marriage”.
A Christian cleric, Pastor Tunde Adegboyega of Resurrection Power and Life Ministry also condemned marital rape, saying, “1 Corinthians 7:1-5 says it is a husband’s duty to provide sexual satisfaction to his wife and it is a wife’s duty to provide sexual satisfaction to her husband, the sexual act within marriage is honourable.
“Marriage is honourable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). Sex within marriage is considered something pure and undefiled. As Christians, though we know it is lawful, we want to be like Jesus. That’s the reason why forcing sex on the spouse is a sin. It’s a sin of hypocrisy. 1 Corinthians 7:4 says the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. But a husband forcing sex on his wife without her willing participation is sinning because he is abusing his wife. It says quite clearly that the husband has authority over the wife’s body, and the wife has authority over the husband’s body. However, the husband cannot forcibly take what his wife has not offered. His physical need is not an excuse for abuse.”
In Benue State, though the issue is not very common as victims seldom talk about it, it has been discovered that there are a few cases of men who forcefully have carnal knowledge of their wives without seeking due consent. Sometimes the act is attributed to lack of understanding and harmony in a marriage.
Commenting on the matter, a clergy in charge of Faith Cathedral, Makurdi, Archbishop Yimam Orkwar described marital rape as act of irresponsibility, saying that it does not portend a good quality of Christianity.
According to him, when couples are legally married, they are entitled to each other except where disharmony is found, adding that before having carnal knowledge, the consent of both must be sought.
He said the act of rape is unholy and ungodly and urged those who indulge in it to desist in order to inherit the kingdom of God.
“The issue of matrimonial rape is not holy at all. When couples at married, they are legally joined together and are free to have physical contact with each, but it must be done in agreement of both parties.
“It is wrong when a man rapes a spouse rape another who are legally married. Women are expected to be submissive to their husbands but in doing this, the men too must realise that women has the right and so only harmonious coexistence can prevent this unholy act.” Orkwar stated.
A Muslim cleric, Alhaji Abdukadir Abubakar said the issue of matrimonial rape is against the tenets of Islam and urged people to desist from it.
According to Abubakar, though women are supposed to be submissive to their husbands, it is equally imperative for men not to forcefully have carnal knowledge of their wives. This, he said, will uphold the true respect of men on womanhood.

Source

Tuesday 21 October 2014

Tension in Imo community over rape of 11-yr-old girl


OWERRI—Uneasy calm has enveloped the sleepy, rural Ehume autonomous community in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State, following the gang-rape of an 11-year-old girl.

Vanguard gathered that the girl (names withheld), who hails from Amaiyi, Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area, but resides at Ehume with her parents, was raped when her parents sent her to the popular Onuimo Rescue Market, Umungwa, Obowo.

Vanguard was told that the girl decided to take a commercial motorcycle to and from the market.

“That was how she boarded the motorcycle piloted by 35-year-old Onyekachi Nwankwo, a native of Umunachi, Obowo,” the girl’s father told Vanguard.

The obviously angry father also said soon after the suspect picked Ngozi at the entrance to the market, he told her that he intended to pick his friend, Chike Njoku, who was waiting for him at Ekeja Market in Ehume, Obowo.

he said: “My daughter innocently agreed. The story suddenly changed when Onyekachi picked his friend, veered off the road into a track leading to the boundary river between Umunachi and Umuagu communities at Obowo.”

Explaining her experience in the hands of the rapists, the girl said: “When I saw all the weapons they were holding, I had no option than to follow them.

“They parked the motorcycle inside the bush, pulled off my dress and had sex with me, one after the other and left me to my fate thereafter.”

Efforts made to get a confirmation of the incident from the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, proved abortive as his mobile line could not be reached at press time.

SOURCE: vanguard
OWERRI—Uneasy calm has enveloped the sleepy, rural Ehume autonomous community in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State, following the gang-rape of an 11-year-old girl.
Vanguard gathered that the girl (names withheld), who hails from Amaiyi, Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area, but resides at Ehume with her parents, was raped when her parents sent her to the popular Onuimo Rescue Market, Umungwa, Obowo.
Vanguard was told that the girl decided to take a commercial motorcycle to and from the market.
“That was how she boarded the motorcycle piloted by 35-year-old Onyekachi Nwankwo, a native of Umunachi, Obowo,” the girl’s father told Vanguard.
The obviously angry father also said soon after the suspect picked Ngozi at the entrance to the market, he told her that he intended to pick his friend, Chike Njoku, who was waiting for him at Ekeja Market in Ehume, Obowo.
he said: “My daughter innocently agreed. The story suddenly changed when Onyekachi picked his friend, veered off the road into a track leading to the boundary river between Umunachi and Umuagu communities at Obowo.”
Explaining her experience in the hands of the rapists, the girl said: “When I saw all the weapons they were holding, I had no option than to follow them.
“They parked the motorcycle inside the bush, pulled off my dress and had sex with me, one after the other and left me to my fate thereafter.”
Efforts made to get a confirmation of the incident from the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, proved abortive as his mobile line could not be reached at press time.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/tension-imo-community-rape-11-yr-old-girl/#sthash.KA3o2o1G.dpuf

Monday 20 October 2014

Girl, 11, gang-raped in Imo

Uneasy calm has enveloped the sleepy, rural Ehume autonomous community in Obowo local council area of Imo State, following what the villagers termed “the mindless gang-raping of an innocent 11-year old in the area”.

Vanguard gathered that the hapless girl, Ngozi (surname withheld), hails from Amaiyi, Ihitte Uboma local government area, but resides in Ehume with her parents.

It was also gathered that on the day of this ugly incident, the girl’s parents sent her to buy a few of their food needs from the popular Onuimo Rescue Market, Umungwa, Obowo.

Vanguard was also told that in a bid to quickly deliver on her parent’s assignment, the girl decided to take a commercial motorcycle to and from the market.

“That was how she boarded the motorcycle piloted by 35-year old Onyekachi Nwankwo, a native of Umunachi, Obowo”, the girl’s father (names withheld) recounted with grief.

The obviously angry father also recalled that soon after Onyekachi picked Ngozi at the entrance of the market, he told the girl that he intended to pick his friend, Chike Njoku, who was waiting for him at the time, at Ekeja Market in Ehume, Obowo.

“My daughter innocently agreed. The story suddenly changed when Onyekachi picked his friend veered off the road into a track leading to the boundary river between Umunachi and Umuagu communities in Obowo.

The traumatized girl recalled that: “When I saw the weapons they were holding, I had no option than to follow them. They parked the motorcycle inside the bush, pulled off my dress and had sex with me, one after the other. They left me to my fate thereafter”.

Efforts made to get a confirmation of the ugly incident from the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, proved abortive as his mobile line could not be reached before press time.

SOURCE:vanguard

Thursday 16 October 2014

Tension in Bayelsa community over rape of 11-yr-old girl

YENAGOA—The failure of some natives of Nembe community, Bayelsa State, to allow justice prevail in the case of a man, 60, who allegedly raped an 11-year-old girl and was to be given the traditional mode of punishment, is causing tension in the community.

The suspect, Inabiah Isaiah, popularly known as CO2, was allegedly caught red-handed having carnal knowledge of the girl (names withheld) after luring her to his house where he allegedly committed the act.

After allegedly confessing to the crime, the victim’s guardian, Jerry, reported the matter to leaders of the community for traditional justice to take its course.

It was gathered that the punishment for such an offence in the community was public lashing of the culprit at the community town hall.

However, trouble started when some local militia gang loyal to the accused, who it was gathered, is also a militia leader, whisked him away to the police station, apparently to shield him from public humiliation.

This did not go down well with a section of the community who insisted that the full weight of tradition must be allowed to take its full course or there would be no peace.

It was gathered that the people’s anger was hinged on the fact that the accused had also participated in flogging other offenders who committed a similar crime in the past and was also alleged to be enjoying the backing of some community leaders and influential politicians from the area.

Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that a group of persons and gender activists who condemned the act, has vowed to pursue the matter in the court of law to ensure that justice prevailed, aside from the traditional punitive measures.

Source: Vanguardngr
YENAGOA—The failure of some natives of Nembe community, Bayelsa State, to allow justice prevail in the case of a man, 60, who allegedly raped an 11-year-old girl and was to be given the traditional mode of punishment, is causing tension in the community.
The suspect, Inabiah Isaiah, popularly known as CO2, was allegedly caught red-handed having carnal knowledge of the girl (names withheld) after luring her to his house where he allegedly committed the act.
After allegedly confessing to the crime, the victim’s guardian, Jerry, reported the matter to leaders of the community for traditional justice to take its course.
It was gathered that the punishment for such an offence in the community was public lashing of the culprit at the community town hall.
However, trouble started when some local militia gang loyal to the accused, who it was gathered, is also a militia leader, whisked him away to the police station, apparently to shield him from public humiliation.
This did not go down well with a section of the community who insisted that the full weight of tradition must be allowed to take its full course or there would be no peace.
It was gathered that the people’s anger was hinged on the fact that the accused had also participated in flogging other offenders who committed a similar crime in the past and was also alleged to be enjoying the backing of some community leaders and influential politicians from the area.
Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that a group of persons and gender activists who condemned the act, has vowed to pursue the matter in the court of law to ensure that justice prevailed, aside from the traditional punitive measures.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/tension-bayelsa-community-rape-11-yr-old-girl/#sthash.dUpoZQXo.dpuf

Wednesday 15 October 2014

District Head Looses Turban After Speaking Out Against Officer Caught Raping Minors

By Yakubu Salisu

The district head of Santolo village of Dawakin Kudu L.G.A of Kano has been detained by the Kano state police command and has also lost his traditional turban for speaking out against the slow nature of investigation by the police into a rape case involving a Civil Defence Officer and another young man who were caught right in the act of raping two minors.
  The district head expressed his disappointment over the slow nature and failure of the police to charge the two persons to court, a statement which has caused him his traditional office and his arrest.
According to the district head, it took ten young men to get the officer off the young girl as he shamelessly continued the ugly act even when he had been surrounded.

However DSP Mustapha Abubakar said the police are yet to get a doctor’s report hence the delay. It is still not clear as to why the district head has to be arrested and
removed from office just because he made a complaint.

Source

Saturday 11 October 2014

Police arrest ‘Pastor’ for rape


Men of Ekiti State Police Command have arrested a self acclaimed Pastor (names withheld) in Ikere Ekiti for allegedly having a canal knowledge of a 19 year old girl under the pretense of giving her spiritual cleansing.

According to the statement made available to the newsmen in Ado Ekiti yesterday by the Public Relations Officer,Mr Victor Babayemi,the 29 years old man was arrested by the police detectives at Araromi Street, Ikere Ekiti about three weeks ago

The suspect,according to Babayemi was said to have confessed to the crime,

The pastor was said to have lured the girl to his house to perform the spiritual cleansing having told the girl that she was under a spiritual spell.

On getting to his room,according to the police image maker, the victim was threatened and put under fear of harm before he eventually made serial sex with her

“Medical reports confirmed that the victim was actually raped by the suspect while preliminary investigation revealed that the pastor is a serial rapist who was in the habit of luring hapless women with   spiritual cleansing to have unlawful canal knowledge.

“ He will be charged to court as soon as investigation into the case is concluded,Babayemi declared.

Source: vanguard

Thursday 9 October 2014

Man, 41, rapes 9-yr-old in Jigawa

Dutse—The operatives of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, have arrested one Zakari Imam, 41, for allegedly defiling a nine-year-old girl (names withheld) at Hadejia City of Jigawa State.

The state commandant of NSCDC, Dr. Muhmmad Gidado, told newsmen in Dutse, yesterday, that the culprit ran away to neighbouring Niger Republic after committing the crime, abandoning his motorcycle.

He said his officers followed due process to effect his arrest in his hideout in Niger Republic.

The Jigawa NSCDC boss said investigation into the case was ongoing, adding that on completion, the suspect would be arraigned in court.

He vowed to bring to book anybody found committing rape in the state, describing it as a barbaric and animalistic behaviour.

He also warned those with the intention of committing rape to have a re- think, saying there was no hiding place for them in Jigawa State.

Source

Police orderly, 4 others gang rape minor in Kano

KANO – A police orderly attached to the executive chairman of Kabo Local Government Council in Kano state and four others have been arrested for allegedly gang raping a minor.

The police corporal , whose identity was been concealed by Kano police command was said to have conspired with two other persons in carrying out the shameful act, at an undisclosed location in the local council area.

Security source confided in Vanguard that the suspected, a six footer randy police officer has been apprehend and kept behind bars alongside his accomplishes pending the outcome of internal investigations in tune with procedural provisions , in meting out punishment on officers and men of the force, who are found to have erred.

The source disclosed “ A police corporal has been arrested and taken to state Criminal Investigation Department for investigation over the complaint of him and two others for gang raping a lady”

Source

Tuesday 7 October 2014

Court sentences Osun politician to life imprisonment for raping pregnant woman

An Osun State High Court sitting in Ilesa has sentenced a politician in Osun State to life imprisonment for raping a pregnant woman.
Obafemi Kolawole, a political associate to one Ganiyu Oladiran, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ilesa, was on September 23 convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with whipping.
A.B Abdulkareem, the trial judge, while finding Mr. Kolawole guilty noted that although the corroboration of a second prosecution witness was limited to assault, it does not corroborate penetration which is the vital ingredient necessary for rape.
However, the medical report tendered by one Dr. Isawumi corroborated the needed penetration necessary to convict the accused.
The judge thereafter held that Rachel Ojimi, the prosecution counsel and a Chief State Counsel at the Ministry of Justice, had been able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
He, however, struck out the charge of indecent assault since it carries a lesser punishment.
According to the prosecution, Mr. Kolawole, on 15th September, 2007, raped a pregnant lady (names withheld to avoid stigmatization), a member of the then Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN (now All Progressives Congress, APC) who was pregnant at the time of the incident.
The event occurred after the 2007 gubernatorial election in Osun State.
The prosecution charged Mr. Kolawole before the State High Court on a two-count charge of rape and indecent assault contrary to Sections 358 and 360 of the Criminal Code cap 34, Vol II, Laws of Osun.
Four prosecution witnesses were called namely: the pregnant lady, Lawal Sikiru, Dr. A.I Isawumi, and Olatunji Arojo, a police Sergeant and the Investigating Police Officer; while Mr. Kolawole testified in his defence, along with Mr. Oladiran, Adediran Kehinde, Adewusi Olowolodu and Olayinka Alege.
At the trial, the lady said that on September 15,  2007, the convict and his cohorts, who are not Police Officers came to arrest her at her house at about 7:30p.m. for an unknown offence. On sighting them and knowing their antecedents in the vicinity, she took to her heels. The convict pursued, caught up with her, and beat her up.
Having overpowered her, the lady said the convict stripped her naked and raped her, and that when her cry for help became unbearable, he covered her mouth.
According to her, her neighbours in the compound had gone to the Mosque because it was the period of the Moslem fast. Thereafter she was bundled into a waiting jeep to join two other men whom she found in the same predicament as her.
The lady further testified that they were driven to Mr. Oladiran’s house and tied to a tree where the trio were mercilessly flogged; the convict later untied her and plucked out her pubic hair, put it in her mouth and swallowed with dry gin. Thereafter, he went ahead to insert a tin opener into her vagina and poured dry gin all over her body. Then he raped her again.
The second prosecution witness, Mr. Sikiru, testified that on the fateful day, he was one of the two naked men in the waiting jeep; the other was one Gbadamosi Lasun.
He stated further that he had earlier received his own share of the beatings before being bundled naked into the jeep belonging to Mr. Oladiran when the lady was brought in naked, and that the trio were driven to Mr. Oladiran’s house and tied to a tree where they were beaten and the contents of dry gin was poured all over their body.
According to him, the lady was untied by the convict who plucked out her pubic hair, inserted a tin opener into her vagina, before going ahead to pour the dry gin into her (vagina) and then sought the consent of the Chief (Mr. Oladiran) to have another round of sexual intercourse with her.
The Chief consented and she was taken to the boot of the jeep from where they heard her shouting for help.
The medical examination conducted on the lady three days upon presentation after the incident at LAUTECH by Dr. Isawumi revealed that there was penetration and that the swap taken from the defendant was full of alcohol.
It was also discovered medically, that as at the time of the incident the lady was pregnant.
Mr. Arojo, the IPO, on his own part, testified that the lady and others were brought to the State Police Command Monitoring Unit at Okefia by Mr. Oladiran who claimed that the lady, and the others, whom he got arrested were the ones who assaulted him after the April 2007 Gubernatorial Election in the State.

According to him, while receiving the statements of all concerned, and conducting investigation into the matter, it was discovered that Mr. Oladiran’s captives, that is, the lady and the others, were indeed the victims, and the supposed complainants and cohorts were the accused persons and were consequently charged to court.

Mr. Kolawole (the convict) in his own defence, denied the allegations made against him. He admitted going to the lady’s house on the fateful day and arresting her, but denied stripping her naked; rather, he said he handed her over to his colleagues, who drove her and other captives to Chief’s house, where they were later handed over to the police. His other witnesses also admitted that the lady and others were driven to the Chief’s house.
Mr. Oladiran, while testifying for the defence, claimed his co-accused at the Magistrate Court who arrested the defendant and the others were his sympathizers.

Source

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