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Edo Ministry Recommends Incarceration For Rapists

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Ministry of Social Development & Gender Issues, Edo State, Thursday, June 11, recommended incarceration and hanging for anyone who indulges in rape.

The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. (Mrs) Ehimwenma Ebhodaghe, made this recommendation while leading other staff members of the Ministry and other NGOs members in a peaceful rally against rape in the country and the world at large.

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The peaceful rally which saw them through major streets in Benin was in collaboration with Global Women For Quality and Sustainable Development; Women International League for Peace and Freedom, Nigeria, among others.

The members who carried placards with inscriptions such as ‘Say no to gender-based violence’; ‘stop rape and defilement’ ; ‘give us pen not pennis’ ; ‘Casson is against rape; walked through major streets and up to the NUJ Press Centre.

READ ALSO: Edo Guber: Edo Is PDP State, Adamawa State Gov Boasts

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Speaking further, the Permanent Secretary said the rising rate of rape and gender-based violence prompted the rally, as she said government can no longer tolerate such.

“We come to let everyone know that we cannot tolerate rape any longer; we say no to gender-based violence; defilement, violence against children and women. Enough is enough! Government can no longer tolerate it anymore”, she added.

While recommending further that perpetrators should be brought to book and face justice, Ebhodaghe said if possible they should be sentenced to dead.

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She said, “Perpetrators should be brought to book and justice. We recommend death sentence for rapests; incarceration for rapists. We say no to rape. Rape must stop! Gender-based violence must stop! Defilement must stop! Child abuse must stop! Child abuse must stop!”

READ ALSO: Muslim Women Protest Against Rape, Demand Stiffer Penalties For Perpetrators

In her reaction, representative of Global Women For Quality and Sustainable Development, Mrs. Mariam Kadiri, said they were in the street to solicit for support and justice for late Uwa and others who were raped and brutalized by some evil persons.

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She lamented that many women are facing what Uwa faced but are silence because of the fear of the unknown, adding that if Uwa had not died probably nobody would have heard about it.

“We are asking for justice for her and all other children that are facing defilement; that are facing rape because we have much happening but because of silence nobody knows. If Uwa had not passed on, probably we would have silence about it. so, we are demanding fo justice.

“We are saying no to gender-based violence; we are saying no to child abuse. We say no to violence against women and children; we are saying no to defilement. We don’t want lives of young girls be cut short”, she noted.

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READ ALSO: Rapists Who Drugged, Gangraped 13-year-old Girl Arrested

Welcoming them to the NUJ premises, Chairman, NUJ, Edo State council, Roland Osakue, noted that members are constrainted and concerned about the alarming issue of rape in the state and the country at large.

Osakue, who described rapests as criminals, called for a legislation that will protect women and make rapists to face severe punishment.

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He also called on parents to protect and monitor their girl child, adding that girl child and women in general are facing a lot of challenges.

“Penalty should be meted on rapists through a legislation. There must be serious legislation that recommend severe punishment for rapists.

READ ALSO: Incessant Rape: Group Calls For State Of Emergency On Sexual, Gender-based Violence

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“Another is that the girl child must be protected. Parents should also monitor their girls child, because the girl child is facing a lot of challenges“, he said

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Police Confirm ‘Accidental’ Killing Of Inspector By 10-Year-Old Son

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The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the death of a police inspector, Okolie Amechi, who was accidentally shot by his 10-year-old son.

It said that the incident occurred on Sunday evening.

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It explained that the son, who was unaware of the state of the AK 47 assigned to Amechi, pulled the trigger and struck his father in the back.

The Command also said the the inspector’s second child was struck in the hand due to the accidental discharge.

READ ALSO: Police Arrest Suspects For Stealing Two Underage Siblings In Anambra

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The Anambra State Police Command expressed sadness over the unfortunate incident that resulted in the death of Police Inspector Okolie Amechi in Awka.

“The son unaware of the state, of the AK 47 rifle assigned to the inspector, pulled the trigger and struck the inspector in the back and his second child in the hand,” a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, read in part.

It further noted that Amechi was confirmed dead at a hospital, adding that the rifle had been recovered.

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READ ALSO: Gas Explosion Kills Two, Injures Six In Anambra Market

Regrettably, Inspector Amechi was taken to the hospital and was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty while the second victim is responding to treatment.

“Also, the rifle has been recovered and the remains of the deceased have been deposited in the morgue.

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“The Command while wishing the second victim a quick recovery, condoles the family and friends of the late inspector.”

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Boundary Dispute: One Killed, Four Injured As Protest Erupts In Edo Communities

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One person has been reportedly killed and four others injured over a land dispute in Iyekogba, Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.

A youth leader, Frank Osamede Osagie, was reportedly shot dead and four others injured during a meeting between two communities – Aye and Ikpebo – all in Iyekogba – aimed at discussion a boundary dispute.

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Taking protest to the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council on Monday, Bright Omoasuen, a leader of the Iyekogba communities said they had earlier petitioned the Inspector General of Police regarding the matter, just as he demanded the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the youth’s killing.

He, on behalf of other protesters, alleged that one Marvis Agbontaen who was suspected to have carried out the attack still goes around freely.

READ ALSO: CSO, Stakeholders Lament Impact Of Mining In Edo Communities, Want A Halt

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He disclosed that the killing occurred during a meeting meant to resolve a boundary dispute between two sections of the community—Aye and Ikpebo.

He said. “We hold our meeting two times a month and the elders hold theirs every Tuesday, and these have been on for the past 10 years. This is what we use to manage the peace of the community.

“But on the 4th of June, 2025, there was a boundary that was demarcated about seven years ago between Aye and Ikpebo.

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“It was the youth leader of Ikpebo, Mr. Marvis Agbontaen, that brought the idea of demarcating the boundary, and we agreed to settle the boundary problem on the 4th of June. But on that day, we waited for Mr. Marvis Agbontaen to come for four hours, but we did not see him. Then the elders decided to postpone the meeting for the upper Monday.”

Omoasuen said the situation, however, took a violent turn after Mr Agbontaen arrived with his boys and started shooting.

READ ALSO: Police Arrest 28 Suspected Cultists In Edo

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Then, what we saw was that he was coming with his car with his boys. We saw him disembark from the vehicle with AK-47 and he started shooting. Our brother, Mr. Frank Osamede Osagie, was killed instantly, while four others were injured. The four injured persons were treated in the police clinic,” he added.

He claimed this is not the first time such an attack occurred in the area.

He, therefore, called on the police authorities to take swift and decisive action.

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“Even before this one in Iyekogba, it has been happening elsewhere. That is why we are here. We do not want to take laws into our hands. We don’t want this to continue. That is why we are here. Please, help us. We are pleading that the police should intervene,” they said.

Attempts made to contact the spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command, SP Moses Yamu were not successful.

 

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753 Duplexes: Abuja Court Admits Emefiele To N2bn Bail

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Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court on Monday admitted the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to bail in the sum of N2 billion in a fresh charge of property fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed an eight-count charge against him in respect of the disputed 753 duplexes in Abuja.

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The said property located at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, measures 150,462.86 SQM and comprises 753 housing units.

When the charge was read to him, he, however, pleaded not guilty.

Following his plea, his counsel, Mathew Burkaa SAN applied for bail, which was not opposed to by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN.

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READ ALSO: Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of $1.4m Linked To Emefiele

Oyedepo, however, asked the court to expunge some paragraphs in the bail application, and the court granted that.

Ruling on the bail application, Justice Halilu held that bail is a constitutional right.

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He added that the defendant(Emefiele) has been granted bail by two other judges and he did not go against the conditions and terms

”I admit the defendant to bail on the terms and conditions that the defendant’s travel documents which is already before justice Muazu is hereby attached as part of the condition .

“The defendant shall provide two sureties who must be residents of Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court.

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READ ALSO: How I Delivered $400,000 Cash To Emefiele – Ex-aide

“The sureties must own landed property within the jurisdiction of this court precisely in Asokoro , Maitama and Wuse 2 which valued at N2 billion” he held

Halilu further ordered that the sureties shall also do undertaking to produce the defendant in court always
all through his trial .

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He added in the event the defendant jumps bail, they (sureties) will be put in prison.

He ordered that the defendant is granted from now to Wed (June 18) to vacate the ball or else risk going to prison.

He then adjourned until July 11 for continuation.

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The charge number: CR/358/2025, borders on alleged having control of property reasonably suspected to be unlawfully obtained.

READ ALSO:Witness Reveals How Emefiele Moved Millions To Wife

The offence, the EFCC said, is punishable under Section 319 of the Penal Code Law.

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Emefiele was charged alongside one “Ocheme” who is at large.

Besides the housing estate, the two defendants are also charged with unlawfully keeping in their possession billions of naira in proxy accounts in Zenith Bank.

In count one of the charge Emefiele and Ocheme are being accused of knowingly having within their control the housing estate suspected to be unlawfully obtained contrary to the law.

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While in count two, they were alleged to knowingly have in their possession the sum of N167 million domiciled in Kelvito Integrated Services’ account No: 1016232915, in count three they were alleged to have held the sum of N1.23 billion in the same account.

READ ALSO: Alleged Fraud: Court Admits Bundles Of Documents As Evidence Against Emefiele

According to the anti-graft agency, the said sums were said to be reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.

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In another count they were also alleged to have in their control another sum of N2.9 billion domiciled in Kelvito Integrated Services’ account No: 1016232915 domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc.

In count five, the commission stated that the defendants between January and December 2022, knowingly had under their control the total sum of N1.98 billion domiciled in Kelvito Integrated Services’ account No: 1016232915 domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc, which sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.

In other counts they were also linked with the sum of N900 million and N600 million in Ifedigo Integrated Services’ account No: 1210750237 domiciled wit zenith Bank.

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Meanwhile, in count eight, Emefiele was said to have in January 2021, forged a document titled, “Irrevocable Power of Attorney Between MG Properties Limited and H and Y Business Global Limited” with the intention of causing it to be believed that the said titled document was executed by or by the authority of H and Y Business Global Limited.

The offences, according to the EFCC, contravened the provisions of sections 319, 362 and 364 of the Penal Code.

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