Metro

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

Published

6 years ago

June 5, 2020

A Bauchi based NGO, ‘Attal Sisters’ Helping Hands Foundation’ (ASHHF) has called for state of emergency on sexual and gender based violence against women.

Mrs Comfort Attal, the Executive Director of the organisation made the call on Friday while on a peaceful protest to the state Commissioner for Justice, Yakubu Bello.

According to Attal, the State Government should institute a motion in the House of Assembly to declare state of emergency on sexual and gender based violence.

She told the commissioner that since the outbreak of COVID-19, violence against women has increased with 50 per cent in the state.

Attal Sisters’ Helping Hands Foundation’ (ASHHF) members in a group photograph

“I’m devastated at the escalating reports of violence against women and girls in Bauchi State and Nigeria at large.

“Since the beginning of Covid-19 pandemic, the number of calls has increased on our hotline services.

“Violence against women has increased as high as 50 per cent in Bauchi state while in some states, service providers couldn’t assist victims as they were trapped at home with their abuser because of lack of access to phones or transportation.

“I am urging you to speak out on this issue on the floor of the House to push a motion to declare a state of emergency on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in the state and in Nigeria at large,” she urged.

The executive director stressed that rape was both an inhuman and degrading treatment against women and girls, adding that it was a disrespect to dignity and has lasting negative effect on victims.

“In the past one week, 16-year old girl was abducted and ganged raped in Bauchu state; Uwa was raped and killed in a Church in Benin; Tina was shot dead in Lagos; 13-year-old girl was raped by 11 men in Jigawa, Barakat was rapped and stabbed to death.

“Those are only few reported in the news, we need justice, we need a state of emergency declared today.

“On this note, there is need for the state and the federal government to declare a state of emergency and to pass the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act.

More photos of Attal Sisters’ Helping Hands Foundation’ (ASHHF)

“will you lead in the fight?” the executive director asked.

In his reaction, Bello said that the state government would take measures to ensure that those found wanting would not go unpunished.

The commissioner, also the state Attorney General urged the organization to always collaborate with the police and keep the ministry of Justice apprised of latest happening of such violence case, especially those that had been reported to the police.

“I want to assure you that we are Attal Sisters’ Helping Hands Foundation conducting a peaceful protest on the need for Bauchi govt. to declare state of emergency on sexual and gender based violence in the state. leaving no stone unturned to ensure that we address this menace of girl-child vulnerable rights as regard to women violence,” the commissioner said.

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Metro

Explosion Rocks Kwara, Five Wounded, Four Buildings Damaged

Published

7 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

A suspected bomb on Christmas night hit Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, wounding about five people, including a couple and their young daughter.

The sad incident, which residents suspected to be a bomb explosion, occurred at Yidi (Muslim’s prayer ground) along the Offa-Ijagbo road.

The woman, identified as Iya Ayo, and her daughter, Aisha, were seriously affected and hospitalised at the nearby First Care Hospital.

Fellow neighbours told The Weekend Guardian that the woman was seriously injured, while another boy’s ear was chopped.

They said: “They were already asleep when the explosion happened. Iya Ayo’s breast, stomach and arms were pierced by nails.”

Eyewitnesses said an artisan was also affected, with four adjoining buildings seriously damaged.

A petty trader, Madam Joy, said, “We saw it coming with lights beaming, then rammed into this (pointing) upstairs before going through the other three buildings it pulled down.”

The Commissioner of Police (CP), Adekimi Ojo, however, corrected the rumour that a bomb was brought into the city by the American military.

According to the police chief, “There was no bomb scare in Offa, there was no plane crash.

“What happened was just an ordinance, and our IED experts have evacuated the debris. There is no more cause for alarm, everything is now under control as our IED experts have immediately started discreet investigation,” he told newsmen at the site of the incident.

Meanwhile, an official preliminary statement by the Offa LGt, copied by The Guardian, described the cause of the explosion as suspected ordnance-related.

It stated that security agencies have cordoned off the affected area to allow for further investigations.

The Executive Chairman, Hon. Suleiman Olatunji Omituntun, briefed the media, saying: “It was at 9:38pm yesterday (Thursday) that I received a distress call about this incident. Thank God, no life was lost.”

“This is not a bomb explosion, this is not a plane crash incident, it is just an ordinary happening that rocked this area. Thank God everything is now calm with residents going about their normal activities.

“The police have come with their experts,” he said, adding, “I suspect it could be that a drone was being tested and it backfired or it malfunctioned,” he suspected.

Meanwhile, Olatunji and the Special Adviser on Political Matters to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Hon. Femi Agbaje Whyte, and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Offa Division visited the scene immediately after the incident to assess the situation firsthand.

The council Chairman urged residents of Offa to remain calm, vigilant, and law-abiding and always to verify information through credible and official sources to avoid the spread of fear and misinformation.

Metro

Eight Yoruba Republic Agitators Arrested In Ogun

Published

7 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Police in Ogun State have arrested eight persons for alleged breach of public peace, unlawful assembly, obstruction of traffic, and serious assault on police officers on Christmas Day.

The suspects, under the aegis of the Democratic Republic of Yoruba, were arrested for causing disturbance at Temidire Junction and Under-Bridge in the Sango-Ota area of Ogun State.

The suspects are Adewale Sosanya, ‘M’, aged 48; Opeyemi Oladotun, ‘M’, aged 31; Zara Gabriel, ‘F’, aged 22; Ajoke Gabriel, ‘F’, aged 19; Adewale Adebomojo, ‘F’, aged 48; Yusuf Tanimowo, ‘M’, aged 40; Olurotimi Ademola, ‘M’, aged 52; and Toyin Gabriel, ‘F’, aged 40.

Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi confirmed this to newsmen in a statement in Abeokuta on Friday.

Babaseyi said that upon receiving the information, the police immediately mobilised, moved to the scene and dispersed the group of agitators.

He said, “The Ogun State Police Command has arrested eight (8) suspects for breach of public peace, unlawful assembly, obstruction of traffic, and serious assault on police officers following a disturbance caused by the group in parts of Sango-Ota, Ogun State.Eight Yoruba Republic agitators arrested in Ogun

“On 25th December 2025, Christmas Day, at Temidire Junction and Under-Bridge, Sango-Ota, a group agitating under the aegis of ‘Democratic Republic of the Yoruba’ unlawfully barricaded roads, set bonfires, disrupted the free flow of traffic, and attacked police officers deployed to maintain law and order,” he added.

Exhibits recovered from the suspects include a Toyota Dyna vehicle used to convey the suspects, two broadcast speakers, a carton containing flags, shirts bearing inscriptions of their agitation, and banners displaying their messages and manifesto.

The Police PRO added that the suspects will be charged in court upon completion of the investigation.
However, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Ogunlowo, reassured residents of the Command’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property.

The CP warned that the command will not tolerate any act capable of breaching public peace, emphasising that any assault on police officers will be met with decisive action.

He urged members of the public to remain law-abiding and report suspicious activities promptly through the Ogun State Police Command emergency lines: Gateway Shield (General Complaints Line – Toll Free): 0800 000 9111; Emergency Numbers: 0906 283 7609, 0912 014 1706, 0915 102 7369, and 0708 497 2994.

Metro

Court Jails Two Ex-bankers For Diverting N10.3m Pension Funds In Enugu

Published

2 days ago

December 24, 2025

Editor

The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has secured the conviction and sentencing of Sani Endurance Aferokhe and Hillary Odo, two former bankers, for diverting N10.3 million belonging to bank customers.

According to a post on X by the commission on Wednesday the judgment was delivered by Justice A. O. Onovo of the Enugu State High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu.

The case was handled by the EFCC and relates to offences committed while the convicts were staff of Intercontinental Bank Plc, now Access Bank Plc.

Aferokhe and Odo were arraigned on January 18, 2016, on a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, and stealing the fund on a seven count of the charge reads:

“Sani Endurance Aferokhe and Hillary Odo on or about the 21st day of November, 2012 at Nsukka within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, while as servants of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc), stole the sum of Four Million, Four Hundred and Forty-four Thousand Naira (N4, 440, 000. 00) property of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc) from a customer account with account name Udekwu F. A. O with number 00237808311 domiciled in Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc) and thereby committed an offence”.

Count two of the charge reads:
“Sani Endurance Aferokhe and Hillary Odo on or about the 12th day of October 2012 at Nsukka within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while as servants of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc), stole the sum of Two Million, One Hundred and Thirteen Thousand, Six Hundred and Ten Naira, forty Kobo (N2, 113, 610. 40) property of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc) from a customer account with account name Onuora George with account number 0023781315 domiciled in Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc) and thereby committed an offence.

The offences are contrary to Section 459(a) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 30 of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004. The defendants pleaded not guilty, leading to a full trial.

During the trial, the EFCC, through its counsel, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Michael Ikechukwu Ani, presented five witnesses and tendered several documents as evidence.

In its judgment delivered on Friday, December 22, 2025, the court dismissed counts six and nine.

The second defendant was convicted on counts four and seven, while the first defendant was convicted on counts one, two, three, five, eight, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen.

The court sentenced the second defendant to five years’ imprisonment on counts four and seven, with an option of a N100,000 fine on each count.

The first defendant was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on each of the counts, except count fifteen, for which he received a three-year sentence, all with an option of a N100,000 fine per count.

The convicts, who are former staff of Access Bank, were found guilty after conspiring to reactivate three dormant customer accounts belonging to pensioners without their consent and diverting the funds for personal use.