Crime

Edo Attorney-General Pledges Severe Judgement For Rapist

Published

5 years ago

June 20, 2020

Edo State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, has vowed that anyone who indulges in rape would be given the appropriate judgement and punishment such person deserved.

The Commissioner who led a peaceful protest against rape to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) premises, noted that the Godwin Obaseki-led administration is making everything possible to make sure rape culture is totally eradicated in the state.

In the protest organised by coalition of gender-based Non-Governmental Organisation, Omorogbe said not only does she believe rape can be totally eradicated, she added that Governor Godwin Obaseki has been working to make sure this come through soonest.

“All we are trying to do is to make sure there is no more rape in Edo State. Not only do I believe that rape can be totally eradicated in the state, government of Mr. Obaseki is committed to ensuring there is total eradication of rape culture in this state, and to ensure that all rapists get their judgement and given the punishment that they deserved. We are doing all we can to make sure that this becomes a reality”, she added.

Reacting to falsehood being peddled on social media that Omozuwa Vera Uwaila (UNIBEN 200L student that was recently raped and murdered) was impregnated by her pastor before setting her up, the Commissioner said the claim was not only false but misleading, stressing that autopsy carried out on Uwa shows she was not pregnant and was also a virgin.

“We were all terribly shocked to what happened to Uwa. It was terrible; it was a brutal experience. We were further shocked by some of the different things we saw all over the places particularly on social media, and that is why it is important we come here.

“For example, we saw a terrible lie being peddled on social media and not regular press that Uwa was being impregnated by her pastor. That has been refuted though it caused serious anguish to the family members. It’s a terrible story.

“Though one cannot talk at this point, but from the autopsy done on Uwa, it was clearly established that not only was she not pregnant, she was a virgin, so how boyfriend and pregnancy came in only God knows”, she added.

On her part, Roseline Okosun, Chairperson, Edo Women’s Development Initiatives, expressed worry at the increasing rate of rape in the nation, just as she expressed fear that mothers, children no longer safe in the nation.

While stating that it has never this bad since she was born, Okosun lamented that even neighbors, relations do go into rape, stressing that fathers too do rape their biological daughter.

“Our mothers are no longer secured and safe with their children. They can no longer leave their children with their neighbors anymore, and even with relations. Relations are raping our children, fathers are raping their daughters.

“I grew up here in Edo and I have not heard it this bad before that fathers, young boys are raping our daughters in the universities and down to primary school. I don’t know the curse that has been placed on our land”, she lamented.

Further lamenting that children of months old are being raped, Okosun called for a stop to the menace, just as she advocated that anywhere the girl child find herself she must be secured and safe.

She noted, “Even a three-month-old child is being raped. What is the problem with us in this country. We are saying no to all of these. It must come to an end, and that is why we are here. Our children must be safe!”

Also lending her voice,Stella Obehi, a legal practitioner, said they were out to express their deep sadness, anger, and dismay over the incident of rape and defilement in the land, adding that they do not want women and children to be raped anymore but be treated with respect and dignity.

While calling on law enforcement agencies and the government to put in place laws that will protect women and children against rape, she noted that rape thrive because stakeholders are silent about it.

She said, “We are saying we do not want our women and children to be raped anymore. We want our women to be treated with respect and dignity. We are calling all stakeholders to join us to form forces against rape.

“We do not want the culture of silence anymore because probably this is why the menace has thrived so long. We want law enforcement agencies to be up and doing in their jobs. We want government also to put in place all needed to protect us from rape.”

Welcoming them to the premises of the NUJ, Roland Osakue, Chairman Edo NUJ, disclosed that journalists are against rape and ready to provide all the necessary support so as to put an end to the menace.

While saying that rapists are criminals in the society, Osakue stressed that they needed to be treated as criminals without pity.

Crime

EFCC Arrests CEO Over ₦2bn Ponzi Scheme

Published

2 weeks ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested the Chief Executive Officer of Gavice Logistics Limited, Ahamba Tochukwu, for allegedly defrauding several investors in his logistics investment schemes to the tune of ₦2 billion.

In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, the EFCC said Tochukwu, through Gavice Logistics Limited, rolled out elaborate investment plans covering haulage, courier, and e-commerce services, while promising investors a 50 per cent return on investment.

The statement, signed by the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, added that investigations revealed Tochukwu collected more than ₦2 billion from 400 investors, who have since been unable to recover their capital.

It noted that the suspect went into hiding with the funds in November 2024 but has now been apprehended by the EFCC operatives and is currently being interrogated over the alleged Ponzi scheme.

The EFCC advised Nigerians to be wary of patronising unverified investment schemes.

“With his arrest, members of the public are advised to desist from patronising unverified pyramid schemes and fraudulent investment promoters in order to avoid being defrauded,” the EFCC warned.

The PUNCH reports the commission had, on May 12, warned Nigerians, particularly the youth, to steer clear of Ponzi schemes, which it described as destructive and a threat to national security and economic growth.

This was after it raised the alarm that 58 illegal Ponzi scheme operators defrauded Nigerians under the guise of investment opportunities.

Crime

Nigeria Police Go Tough On LGBT, Vow to Extradite Suspects From Abroad

Published

2 years ago

August 1, 2023

Editor

By Udiele Mercy

Men of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested two men in a hotel in Benin City for alleged involvement in homosexual activities in contravention of the laws of the State.

The men whose identities were given as Dele Thompson and Steve Omobeke were reportedly nabbed during a routine raid on suspected black spots of gay activities in the state.

This particular arrest the police authorities say has got some international dimensions as investigations have revealed that the duo has links with some LGBT exponents in Canada and the United States of America.

Although the police gave no details beyond mentioning one Osamudiamen Monday Aimiuwuriamwen said to be mutual sex partner with Dele Thompson and a funding source for their nefarious activities in Nigeria, they however vowed to do everything humanly possible to arrest every member of the illicit sex gang from wherever they are presently.

The police said they have material evidence in the form of pictures and videos obtained from the suspect’s phone, implicating enough for them to prosecute the suspects.

According to the police, “we have photographs and videos extracted from the suspect’s showing where the outlaws in very compromising positions indicative of their involvement.

“We are surprised that despite efforts by the force and other security agencies to stamp out LGBT practices in the state, many are still indulging in the unholy behavior.”

The command has communicated with the Force Headquarters to activate its extradition agreement with the Interpol to extradite members of the syndicate outside the shores of Nigeria,” said Chidi Nwabuzor, PPRO Edo State Police Command.

Besides the Nigerian State prohibiting same sex relationship through the enactment of the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act 2013, the Nigerian society frowns seriously at it to the extent of mobbing suspected LGBT exponents to death when caught in the act.

The law that prescribed 14 years for convicts is considered too lenient by citizens who often prefer to take the laws into their hands.

Crime

Suspected Gay Men In Trouble As Tradition, Police Hunt Them

Published

2 years ago

July 10, 2023

Editor

A young man identified as Festus Igbineweka is in serious trouble over his alleged participation in a gay party that went sour at his father’s house on 14 Oguola Road, off Siluko Road Benin City, resulting in his being beatien up along side his partners in crime, causing bodily injuries.

Festus and Osarugue it were allegedly caught in the act kissing and expressing love towards each other, with others including Vincent Obi, Frank Okoli, John Opakunle and Felix Obasuyi who were also having similar fun in their separate room in the same apartment, doing the same thing and later began to have sex on June 30, 2023.

Eye witness account said that Festus Igbineweka reportedly got entangled with an old gay lover Osarugue Austine Edobor,now at large in an after party sex rump in Oguola, the traditional puritan enclave of the legendary Benin tradition which forbids same sex relationship.

The abominable secret meeting came to the open when Festus’ next-door neighbor Benard Akpata was knocking at the door because he was to drive out of the compound and Festus’s car was blocking the drive way. It was learnt that the renegades behaving to type had put on some loud music in the house to mask the pleasurable sounds from within.

Having knocked severally with no response, the said neighbour Bernard reportedly walked in and saw what was happening and promptly raised an alarm that drew the attention of distraught neighbours who descended on them with clubs and other dangerous weapons and repeatedly shouting, abomination!!!.

The alarm caused confusion and rage as more persons got attracted to the crime scene and joined in the beating.

The suspects Festus Igbineweka, Vincent Obi, Frank Okoli,Felix Obasuyi and John Opakunle, after the mob attack were handed over to the police by the vigilante group in the area while the rest suspects Osarugue Austine Edobor and Darlington Itoya managed to escape.

The duo of Osarugue and Darlington who
managed to escape the mob attack, took advantage of the power outage that left the house in total darkness.

Festus and his co travellers including Osarugue,Vincent Obi, Frank Okoli and John Opakunle are also wanted by the Edions (elders) of the area to perform some rituals meant to cleanse the land of the abominable act which can have dire consequences on innocent people if not exorcised.

The gay love birds including those on the run and those arrested are expected to present the atonement items which include, a live spotless white cow, 1000 cowrie shells, seven bottles of red palm oil, 100 pieces of kolanuts, 14 cloves of alligator pepper etc, while the host Fedtus Igbineweka and others arrested are also in the battle of Police prosecution.

Meanwhile, the gay exponents are unable to report the gang beating they suffered in the hand of the natives to the police because their involvement in same sex relationship, is a practice that has been criminalized in Nigeria under the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act 2013.

According to our crime reporter who visited the Ogida Divisional Police Headquarters,the suspects denied involvement in the alleged same-sex practice.