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Child Marriage: 4-yr-old Girl’s Parent, Relatives Appear Before Bayelsa Govt Panel

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Parents of the 4 year- old girl who was “married” to a 54-year-old man at the riverside settlement of Akeddei in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and three others were on Thursday handed a temporary relief by the state government through the Gender Response Initiative Team, GRIT, over the alleged child marriage.

However, they insisted that the marriage rites are a traditional practice termed “Koripamo” done to save the little girl’s life.

The state government team is made up of the Chairman of the Gender Response Initiative Team(GRiT), Dr. Dise Ogbise, the Bayelsa State Coordinator of the Child Protection Network, Kizito Andah, CPN and the Bayelsa State Chairman of BANGOF, Comrade Taritei Boco, DO Foundation, NAWOJ, other Non-governmental Organization, NGOs, National Human Rights Commission and Civil Society Groups,CSOs.

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The team heard the submissions from the father of the four-year-old Elder Morris Aboma, the alleged husband, Akpos Napoleon and the Paramount ruler, Chief Moneyman Binabo.

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In their separate submissions before the team of experts, they all insisted that the purported child marriage was a traditional practice termed “Koripamo” to save the little girl’s life.

They explained to the team that it is a cultural practice in Akeddei Community, Oyakiri Clan in Sagbama Local Government Area whereby if a girl child always falls sick a man will be required to drop a symbolic amount to save the little girl from dying, saying what transpired between the 4-year-old girl and Akpos Napoleon was not a marriage but an Ijaw cultural practice called ” Koripamo”

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They noted that whenever the traditional rite of “Koripamo” is conducted the man who pays the “token ” is not required to take her as a wife nor will he stop her from marrying any man of her choice when she is up to the age of marriage. According to him, this can be done on a boy child or girl child.

Father of the four-year-old, Elder Morris Aboma, who spoke in his Ijaw vernacular, said her daughter was always sick to the point of death, adding that according to Akeddei tradition, the only way to save her life is for a man to pay a symbolic and save the child’s life and that if has nothing to do with a real marriage.

The 54-year-old groom said, “As it is now am regretting doing all I did just to save the child’s life as she’s no longer sick again and such tradition has been going on but it has not been celebrated to the extent of hiring canopy, sound system and cooking of food.

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“But since she says if I don’t do what she says she will die I have to look for money and do it since it involves life. As it is I am frustrated by this whole issue.”

The paramount ruler of the Akeddei community, HRH Moneyman Binabo in his submission said he heard of a marriage in the community during the Christmas festivities but did not have full details not until the DPO of Sagbama Police Station asked him to produce those that got married in the community.

Binabo further said he had to invite the parents of the little girl to get detailed information on what happened on the 27th of December and the parents told him that the little girl had been sick and that one Akpos Napoleon had to drop a symbolic amount
to save the life of the little girl adding that what happened in the Akeddei community was not a formal marriage but a fulfillment of a cultural practice.”

He however said that what surprised him was the demand of the little girl that food be cooked, canopy and a sound system be hired to celebrate the marriage.

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The paramount ruler noted further that the man who pays the token to the girl is not expected to take her home to live as husband and wife nor stop the girl from marrying any other person of her choice when she is old enough to marry.

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Mother Of Five Jailed For Forging Late Abba Kyari’s Signature

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A mother of five, Ramat Mba, has been sentenced to one-year imprisonment by a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gwagwalada, Abuja, for her involvement in an employment scam.

Ramat who was also found guilty of forging the signature of the late Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, was arraigned before the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on a 5-count bordering on cheating, fraud and forgery, contrary to Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and Sections 320(b), 366 of the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.

She reportedly committed the offence sometime in 2020 when she collected N4.5 million from several job seekers, promising to secure jobs for them with the ICPC and National Air Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

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Also, the documentary evidence tendered showed that the convict fraudulently forged the letterhead of the Office of the Chief of Staff to former President Buhari and his signature. The letter, addressed to the ICPC Chairman, was a request for the recruitment of three individuals by the commission.

However, the late CoS, in a written correspondence that was also tendered in court as an exhibit, distanced himself or his office from authorising the letter.

Commenting on the sentencing, spokesperson for the ICPC, Demola Bakare said;

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“The trial judge, Justice Muhammad, in his judgment on May 9, 2024, convicted the mother of five children on counts 1, 2, 3 and 5 that border on cheating and forgery, while she was discharged on count 4 which borders on felony.

“Justice Muhammad, during the sentencing on Thursday, pronounced a six-month jail term or N100,000 option of fine on counts 1, 2 and 3 on the convict.

“The presiding judge, who stressed the status of the convict as a first-time offender and a mother, also sentenced her to one-year imprisonment or N150,000 option on fine on count 5 which borders on forgery.”

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Police Dismiss Inspector For N29.8m Theft, Kidnapping

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The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed one of its officers identified as Adabo Mohammed for criminal conspiracy and armed robbery, among others.

Mohammed, who was an Inspector, alongside five others was said to be a member of an armed robbery gang allegedly responsible for the stealing of N29.8 million from a victim in Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory.

This was disclosed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement issued at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Friday.

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The statement, titled, ‘Police speak tough on indiscipline, misconduct,’ noted that in a move to uphold professional standards within the Force, the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, stressed the Force’s intolerance to any form of indiscipline.

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The statement read partly, “In a decisive move to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity within the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has emphasised his administration’s zero-tolerance policy towards any form of indiscipline. He stressed that the mandate of the police is to serve and protect with honour and integrity, and as such all breaches of the core values of the NPF will be met with decisive action to maintain public trust and ensure justice.

“In line with this policy, all cases reported against personnel have been creditably attended to, and justice has been done appropriately. Many of the erring officers have been sanctioned, while some cases are still at the orderly room trial level, and will soon be concluded.

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“For instance, a police inspector has been dismissed from service while three others were demoted to their previous ranks following thorough investigations which confirmed their involvement in various acts of indiscipline/crime.”

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Adejobi added, “One Inspector Adabo Mohammed was dismissed for the offences of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery/kidnapping, and corrupt practice. The dismissed officer, along with five others were members of an armed robbery gang responsible for the robbery of the sum of N29.8 million from a victim in Gwagwalada, FCT as well as the kidnap of one Ikechukwu Emmanuel Okafor in Tunga Manje, and the collection of ransom sum of N4.4m. The ex-officer has been charged to court accordingly.

“Similarly, the trio of Inspectors Osagie Efford, Semiu Agbekin, and Francis Ahuen, attached to the Special Tactical Squad (STS), have been demoted to their previous rank of Sergeant for the extortion of some motorists in Abuja. The trio intercepted an unregistered Mercedes Benz at Gwarinpa, Abuja, and forced the occupants to part with the total sum of N29.4m.

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“The matter when reported by one Harrison Gwamnishu (#HarrisonBBi18) via the social media platform ‘X’, was taken up and properly investigated. While the monies have been returned to the complainants, the officers were subjected to orderly room trial in line with extant laws, and have been demoted.”

The FPRO noted that some senior officers have “been subjected to the Force Disciplinary Committee hearings” to “scrutinise and address allegations of misconduct against higher-ranking officers of the Force.”

He assured the public that “these measures are taken with the utmost seriousness and are integral to restoring and maintaining their trust. He re-emphasised that the NPF is dedicated to fostering a culture of accountability and respect within all ranks to ensure that police officers serve with integrity.”

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Doctor, Nurses Detained Over Missing Placenta, Umbilical Cord

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The Kwara State Police Command has arrested medical staff from the Government Cottage Hospital in Iloffa town, located in the Oke-Ero local government area of the state, over the missing umbilical cord and placenta of a newborn baby.

A new mum, identified as Mrs. Williams C.B.A., raised the alarm about the missing placenta and umbilical cord following the delivery of her baby last Sunday.

Subsequently, police launched an investigation.

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About five suspected health workers are being detained by the General Investigation Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department of the police command in Ilorin.

Kwara doctor and nurses detained over missing placenta and umbilical cord.

The matter was brought to the police headquarters in Ilorin for further investigation when efforts to unravel the mystery at various levels of the local government failed.

The investigation also found that it took the concerted efforts of elders from the Odo-Owa community to calm the frayed nerves of restive youths, who suspected foul play as they were about to burn down the hospital over the incident.

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The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Kwara State Police Command, Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the development and the arrest of the suspects, saying that investigation had already commenced.

Speaking with journalists, the nursing mother of the newborn baby, who teaches the English Language in the Orofa High School, Odo-Owa, narrated her ordeal.

She said: “I got to the Cottage hospital some minutes past 1:00 pm on Sunday and told the particular nurse I met on duty that I was having contraptions. She was the one who attended to me after confirming that I was truly in labour.

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“She took me into the labour room and asked me to wait because I still have more time. Not quite long after I came, when the doctor also came in. At about some minutes to 5pm the doctor asked the nurse to usher me into labour room again that he wanted to check how close the baby was.

“He then asked that a drip be fixed on me, and at about some minutes past 6:00 pm, the labour started and I delivered the baby around some minutes to 7pm.

“Three women were present, two of them are nurses while one is a Ward attendant.

“In the course of the delivery, it was one Nurse Alabi that took the delivery and Nurse Adeloye and the Ward Attendant identified as Mrs Toyin. I don’t know her surname Those were the three people present.

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“Lest I forget, there are two missing items inside the nylon; the Umbilical cord and the placenta.

“Also, while they were taking the delivery, a particular woman came and said that she was supposed to be on duty that day, that she took permission that she wanted to travel that she was just returning. She was also there during the delivery which makes the number of those present to be four women in all. She was also later invited by the police.

“Later the doctor joined them. He was not fully involved. He was just coming and going. The delivery was not done in his presence.

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“Nurse Alabi, who took the delivery was the one who took the Umbilical cord and the placenta and dropped them inside a nylon that has the inscription name of the hospital and then dropped the nylon inside a carton placed right beside the delivery couch.

“As soon as that was done,they cleaned the baby and myself up and Nurse Adeloye ushered me into the main ward. The baby was placed beside me and I wasn’t feeling too well.

“Not long after that,Mrs Toyin brought in my belongings from the labour room which were two bags and placed them beside the bed.

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“I didn’t ask her about the contents of the bags because I thought the nylon of the placenta and the Umbilical cord was included in one of my bags .

“Very early the following morning when I woke up I remembered the placenta, when I looked around I didn’t see any of the Nurses that attended to me , probably they have gone home.

“When I discovered that the placenta was missing, I called a particular woman, also a ward maid but not among those who took my delivery in the night shift.

“When I told her, she said ‘Haaa’ that we should go together to the labour room which we did. When we got there the nylon inside which the placenta was kept was no longer there, likewise the carton too.”

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She said she raised the alarm after the doctor and nurses who delivered the baby failed to produce the placenta and umbilical cord.

Some of their staff started telling me they’re sorry that there was a mistake. The attendant said she had thrown the placenta inside a pit but they could not find it suggesting a dog might have eaten it.

“That was When I flared up with some members of my church who were also present that it’s not possible that they just have to present the placenta.”

Mrs Williams’ father, Mr Rufus Sanya, said he suspected foul play.

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“How could an umbilical cord and a placenta of a new baby be missing when we all know the implication?

“I urge the police to do a thorough investigation and unravel the mystery behind this disappearance. That is only when justice would be said to have been served and we would be at peace with ourselves,” he said.

 

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