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Akwa Ibom: Jubilation As Court Sentences Man To Death By Hanging

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The people of Idung Ntuk Umah in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have been celebrating over the sentencing of one Udobong Stephen Adiahaunwa to death by the Akwa Ibom State High Court.

Udobong, aged 48, a father of two and brother to the late Village Head of Idung Ntuk Umah, Gabriel Adiahaunwa, was sentenced by Justice Gabriel Ette after he was convicted on a four count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery and terrorism.

The particulars of the case shows that Udobong Stephen Adiahaunwa, who was earlier banned from his village because of his atrocities, stormed the community on 29th December, 2009 with his gang dressed like SARS Police operatives and whisked away one Friday Jackson Joe in a Hilux vehicle to an unknown location.

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The victim has not been found till date.

READ ALSO: Heart Diseases, Cancer Lead Causes Of Death Worldwide – Report

Again, on 28th February, 2019, Udobong, the primary five dropout was said to have brought cultists in Police uniforms to his community and robbed the treasurer of the village, Mr Ediomo Sunday Udoidio, of N970,000 being the proceeds from the sales of the community palm fruits.

On 29th April, 2021, he again imported cultists in army uniform and robbed the Village Palm Estate treasurer, Mr Ubong William Henry, of N850,000, being the money the Idung Ntuk Umah realised from sales of palm fruits.

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It is also on record that on 5th June, 2020, the convicted armed robber returned to his village with members of his secret cult and forcefully initiated teenagers into the group, forcing many to flee from the village while others continued to live in fear.

Udobong was arrested and detained at Akwa Ibom State Police Command’s Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, but was released, prompting the community to petition the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 6 Headquarters, Calabar.

READ ALSO: FG To Disburse N25bn Healthcare Enhancement Funds To States

In June 2020, the convict was arrested by operatives of the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department, Zone 6 Headquarters, but was granted bail and he disappeared with his surety.

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While in his hideout, he sued the complainant and the Police for breaching his fundamental rights but was rearrested on 4th December, 2020 and charged to court.

In a one hour judgement, the trial judge, Justice Gabriel Ette, found Udobong Stephen Adiahaunwa guilty of conspiring with his gang members now at large and robbing his victims.

He thereafter sentenced him to death by hanging.

READ ALSO: Parents Commend Bauchi Senator On Payment Of UTME Fees For 150 Students

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“From the totality of my findings, I find as a fact that the prosecution has proved counts 1, 2 and 3 against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.

“I find the defendant guilty and convict him accordingly,” the judge declared.

The judgement attracted the complainants and other indigenes of Idung Ntuk Umah, who filled the courtroom to the brim, forcing the authorities to lock the entrance to the court premises.

The Idung Ntuk Umah community celebrated the condemnation of a man they described as “a terror and a nightmare to his community” and applauded Justice Gabriel Ette for his judgement, which they said had restored the confidence of the people in the judiciary.

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VIDEO: Hundreds Of Abandoned Ikoyi Towers Illegal Occupants Get 48-hour Eviction Notice

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The Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources has issued a 48-hour eviction notice to illegal occupants of the Ikoyi Towers in the Lagos Island area of the state.

The state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this during an inspection of the estate on Saturday.

In a post on X.com, Wahab stated that hundreds of undocumented residents were seen in the premises, which lacked sanitary provisions.

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He added that they pose security and environmental threats to the state, hence the eviction notice.

Wahab wrote, “Abandoned Ikoyi Towers which we observed were housing illegal occupants posing a security threat to the environment and a nuisance to the state.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Woman, Baby Involved In Lagos Car Accident

“An undocumented number of persons running into hundreds were seen on the premises with no sanitary provisions and whose daily activities could not be ascertained.

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“They have been given a 48-hour vacation notice to leave the area.”

The commissioner further stated that the team also conducted an inspection to assess the enforcement of Osborne under bridge after the illegal structures harbouring several people were removed.”

Recall that  on Wednesday that the state government discovered 86 partitioned rooms under the Dolphin Estate Bridge in Ikoyi, where tenants were said to be paying N250,000 per annum for the makeshift apartment.

Watch video below courtesy The PUNCH

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5-year-old Girl Allegedly Defiled, Mother Demands Justice

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A woman, Rita Ebirim, has demanded justice following the alleged defilement of her five-year-old daughter by her brother-in-law in Lagos.

The distraught mother, who spoke with our correspondent on Friday, explained that her estranged husband had filed a divorce on August 2, 2022, and while waiting for the trial, she was ordered by the court to allow the father to have access to their daughter.

Ebirim explained that her daughter was defiled during her second visit to her father by his brother.

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She said, “One day in February last year, he came to pick her up for the first time in the morning and returned her in the evening. That day I sensed that something was wrong with my girl and I voiced my suspicion to my lawyer but he waved it off.

READ ALSO: Actor Arrested For Abduction, Defilement Of 14-year-old Girl

“The next time, he came to take her to visit him and she returned to me at night beyond the speculated time. Later, when I wanted to bathe her, she started crying, pushing my hands away, that I shouldn’t touch her ‘there’.

“When I asked her who touched her there she told me her uncle touched her.

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Ebirim said when she called her daughter’s father, he said he didn’t do anything to her and immediately told her to take the girl to the hospital “knowing full well that it was late at night”.

“I took her to two hospitals and after she was examined, the doctors said she had bruises on her private parts, that she had been sexually molested,” she added.

READ ALSO: Father Defiles 12-year-old Daughter

Suspect remanded for allegedly defiling three-year-old daughter
Sunday Special learned that the case was reported to the Ketu police station and also the Lagos State Sexual and Domestic Violence Agency.

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“Although the suspect was arrested, he was later released on bail, and up till now, we are still awaiting a hearing in court. The case has needlessly dragged on and it feels that justice is elusive,” Ebirim added.

Giving an update on the case, the Executive Secretary of the DSVA, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, in a chat with our correspondent, disclosed that a forensic interview had been conducted for the child and that the case had been referred to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

She said, “The agency received a report of an alleged case of defilement on February 20, 2023, against one X. It was alleged that Mr O has allegedly abused her sexually during her visit to Mr O.”

READ ALSO: Court Remands Man For Alleged Defilement Of 7-year-old Girl

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Vivour-Adeniyi further said the agency immediately referred the case officially to the Ketu divisional police station on the same day.

“The case was also referred to State CID, Panti, on February 21, 2023, where investigations were conducted with all parties involved. Two officers from the agency were also assigned to support the survivors’ mother at the police station.

“The agency subsequently referred the case to Cece Yara Child Advocacy Centre for a forensic interview to be conducted. The forensic interview was successfully conducted in April 2023. The case file was forwarded to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice,” she added.
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VIDEO: Woman, Baby Involved In Lagos Car Accident

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A woman, her toddler and a motorcyclist popularly known as Okada rider were reportedly involved in a car accident on the Festac Link Bridge in the Ammuo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State on Saturday night.

It was gathered that the incident occurred on Saturday night around 11:00pm.

Joshua Davids, who witnessed the accident, said, “What really happened at Amuwo Link Bridge, tonight’s accident, is that the car, the driver hit a woman and a baby on her back. So actually, they have rushed the woman and the baby to the hospital.

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READ ALSO: Ex-Delta Gov, Ibori Mourns Passing Of Former Minister, Gbagi

“The driver is safe because there is an airbag. There is protection for him in the car. So he is safe now and he has already rushed the woman and her baby to the hospital.

When asked about the Okada rider, he said, “They have also rushed him to the hospital. The three of them are unconscious. I was walking down from the back, from the backside. I was also coming from Festac, so I saw everything that happened. He also almost hit me.”

David, who showed his injury in a video, added, “I have to save myself. I have to. If not, what would I be saying by now? I thank God for my life. Thank God. Thank you very much.”

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READ ALSO: Why I Refused To Return Govt Vehicles – Ex-Edo Gov, Shaibu

Another witness who spoke anonymously to our reporter said, “I was on my way home, I had a loud sound coming from the top of the bridge. I rushed down and saw a woman with her toddler on the ground. The bike rider seemed unconscious.

Narrating what might have happened that led to the crash, he said, “The vehicle had double-crossed his lane and jumped into the other lane coming towards Festac and had hit the Okada rider, and the Okada rider was carrying a woman and her toddler.

“She had injuries on her legs I asked her where she felt pain, and she said her head mostly. The driver who drove the car was okay and rushed the victims to the hospital.”

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The police had yet to reach the venue of the incident as of the time of filing this report.

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Details later…

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