Metro

Cleric Jailed 53 years For Sexually Assaulting 14-year-old Daughter

Published

5 months ago

July 1, 2025

Editor

A 45-year-old pastor, Ndukwe Ogbu, has been convicted and sentenced to 53 years imprisonment for defiling and sexually assaulting his 14-year-old daughter by penetration by a Lagos State Sexual Offences Court, sitting in Ikeja.

Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe ruled that the prosecution had proved beyond a reasonable doubt all the elements of the charges against Ogbu.

During sentencing, on Monday, the judge held, “The evidence presented leaves no room for doubt. The convict’s actions are reprehensible, and justice must be served.”

The judge noted the convict’s lack of remorse; and not being apologetic for the crime he committed against his daughter, when he prayed the court to temper justice with mercy and told the court that he had other children to take care of.

The judge found him guilty of the three counts brought against him by the Lagos State government.

The state had filed three counts against Ogbu, bordering on sexual assault, sexual assault by penetration and defilement of a 14-year-old girl.

Ogbu was arraigned sometime in February 2021, and the trial began on October 18, 2021.

The prosecution called three witnesses and tendered exhibits during the prosecution. The first prosecution witness was a social worker, Femi Oyeleke, who reported the case to the police.

The second prosecution witness was the victim of the alleged sexual offences, while the doctor who examined the girl testified against the convict.

The victim in her testimony identified the convict as her father and narrated to Justice Abike-Fadipe that she was 14 years old when the incident started.

While describing the abuse in her testimony, she told the court that her father would come into her room naked, remove her clothes, and force himself on her.

She said he threatened her not to tell anyone.

“He would come into my room naked, remove my clothes, and force himself on me. He threatened me not to tell anyone.”

The victim also explained how she confided in her schoolteacher, who then alerted the social worker and the social worker, in turn, reported to the police.

The doctor who examined her also testified, corroborating her account.

She told the court that her father had sexual intercourse with her on several occasions, and threatened her not to tell anybody.

In his defence, Ogbu denied the allegations, claiming, “I was not at home when these things happened.” He admitted living with the victim in a two-bedroom apartment but insisted she was mentally unstable and forgetful.

The convict also confirmed that he lost his wife when the children were small and that the other children live in the village with their maternal grandmother, but it’s been a long time since he spoke to them.

However, while delivering the judgment, Justice Abike-Fadipe held that the testimony of the doctor and the social worker corroborated the testimony of the victim.

“The victim was 15 years old when the alleged offence was committed. Exhibit P1 states the age of the witness, and the failure of the defence to cross-examine the witness as regards the age of the victim.”

The judge, therefore, found him guilty as charged and sentenced him to three years on count one.

He was also sentenced to 25 years on count two, while another 25 years on count three, totalling 53 years imprisonment to run concurrently.

She ordered that the prison term should begin from December 2019, when he was first remanded in prison.

Metro

Edo Final-year Student Dies In Sign-out Motorcade Crash

Published

4 hours ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

A yet-to-be-identified final-year student of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, has lost his life in a road crash after he and some other students embarked on a motorcade parade to celebrate the completion of their final examinations.

It was learnt on Tuesday from a Facebook user, Inside Edo, that the accident occurred on Monday shortly after the students finished their final examination.

Inside Edo disclosed that the vehicle had attempted to overtake another before losing control and ramming into a truck.

The post read, “A tragic accident has occurred at Ujoelen, close to the primary school, resulting in the death of a newly graduated student of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.

“According to eyewitnesses, the crash happened during an attempted overtaking by one of the vehicles involved.

“The risky manoeuvre reportedly led to a loss of control, causing the fatal incident. Residents who were nearby rushed to the scene, but the victim could not be saved.”

Similarly, the News Agency of Nigeria reported that the students were said to have been driving recklessly before crashing into a stationary truck.

The deceased was said to be part of a convoy made up of fresh graduates of the university.

NAN reported, “He was reportedly part of a convoy of fresh graduates who took to the highway on Monday shortly after their signing-out activities.

“Witnesses said the group drove recklessly and failed to observe basic safety rules during the celebrations.

“The tragedy occurred when the deceased attempted to overtake a moving truck but collided with a stationary vehicle parked along the road.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the Edo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Cyril Mathew, proved abortive, as the official number available on the FRSC directory was not reachable at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, NAN reported that Mathew later confirmed the incident, adding that one person died while five others were injured in the crash.

“The students, after writing their last paper, took to the road in a convoy.

“In the process, one of them overtook another vehicle and rammed into a stationary truck,” NAN quoted Mathew as saying.

Metro

One Dies In Oyo Fire, Two Rescued

Published

5 hours ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

One person lost her life in a fire incident at Agbaakin Street, behind Testing Ground, Iwo Road, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday.

This was contained in a statement by the Chairman of the State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, in Ibadan, on Tuesday.

He said the fire resulted from a lighted charcoal cooking pot left unattended, which ignited nearby combustible materials.

Akinwande added that the firefighting operation was successfully carried out with the support of officers of the Federal Fire Service.

“The fire emergency was received at exactly 20:18 hours on Monday, December 8, 2025.

“On getting there, it was two rooms on the upper floor of a private residential building of 12 rooms engulfed by fire.

“One person (female) was recovered, while two persons (males) were rescued alive. The fire also affected only two rooms, and the whole building and other properties worth millions of naira were saved by the officers of the agency.

“The fire incident was a result of a lighted charcoal cooking pot left unattended, which ignited nearby combustible materials. The operation was jointly carried out with the Federal Fire Service, Ibadan Command,” he explained.

In a related development, a fire incident on Tuesday engulfed the Agric Business Development Agency at Total Garden in Ibadan.

A statement by the State Fire Service Chairman, Akinwande, said the agency received a telephone call through Mr Akinyinka reporting that fire had ravaged the place.

“The incident was reported at exactly 09:20hrs on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, through a telephone call by Mr Akinyinka (the General Manager, Oyo State Fire Services Agency) to the office, reporting a fire at the above-stated address.

“The officers, led by ACFS Oyeniyi Taofeek, swiftly mobilised and deployed to the scene. Upon arrival, it was discovered that electrical sparks from a solar inverter control board on the upper floor of the building resulted in the fire.

“The swift response and professional intervention of our officers prevented the situation from escalating into a fire disaster. The use of portable fire extinguishers was employed during the firefighting operation.

“No casualty was recorded, and properties worth millions of naira were saved by the fire service. The fire incident was a result of electrical sparks from the inverter system,” the statement read.

The chairman, therefore, advised the public to always use correct cables and other electrical materials for their installations.

Metro

Three Die, Several Injured In Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Crash

Published

6 hours ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

A fatal crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Tuesday claimed three lives and left several others seriously injured, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has said.

LASTMA, in a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday, said the accident occurred near the Secretariat, heading towards the Otedola Bridge.

According to the agency, three vehicles were involved in the collision.

“Three vehicles were involved in the collision, resulting in three fatalities and several serious injuries.

“LASAMBUS [Lagos State Ambulance Service] personnel are on the scene, providing medical attention to the injured victims,” it stated.

Emergency responders from LASAMBUS were on the scene administering medical care to the injured victims, while LASTMA officers and personnel of the Nigerian Police Force were also present, managing traffic and maintaining order.

Efforts, according to LASTMA, are underway to clear the crash site and restore normal traffic flow.

Motorists were advised to exercise caution when approaching the area.