Metro

Police Arrest Couple In P’Harcourt Over Alleged Rape, Assault Of Minor

Published

11 months ago

January 2, 2025

The Police Command in Rivers State has confirmed the arrest of a couple for allegedly raping and beating a 13-year-old girl in their residence in Port Harcourt.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

NAN reports that the wife was said to have stripped the teenager and inserted pepper into her private part after accusing her of having sexual intercourse with her husband.

Iringe-Koko stated that the suspects had been arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department for investigation and possible prosecution.

Goodness, the mother of the teenager, whose full name was withheld to avoid stigmatisation, recounted the incident to NAN.

A resident of Rupokwu town in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Goodness, revealed that the assault on her daughter occurred on the evening of December 29, 2024.

She explained that when she was alerted by neighbours about the attack on her daughter by a neighbour, she immediately closed her shop and rushed home.

“Before I got home, neighbours had already rescued my daughter from the wife’s assault.

“My daughter was still writhing in pain from the beating and the pepper applied to her body and private area,” she said.

Goodness said that after her daughter felt relieved, she revealed that on December 25, 2024, a female neighbour, who is a friend of the wife took her to the house.

She said that on that fateful day, the man sent his wife and her friend on an errand, leaving the teenager alone with him in the house.

The distraught mother reported that after the two women had left the apartment, the man attacked her daughter and allegedly raped her multiple times, threatening her to remain silent.

“After he raped her, he told my daughter to leave his house.

“My daughter returned home afterwards but did not report what had transpired, probably due to the threat from the man,” she added.

Goodnews further stated that on December 29, 2024, the wife visited her shop and asked the teenager to follow her to her apartment and assist her with house chores.

“It was on getting there that she accused my daughter of sleeping with her husband, stripped her naked, poured pepper on her, and inserted the same in her vagina.

“She then dragged my daughter outside and flogged her mercilessly with a machete, while neighbours recorded the attack,” she said.

The teary mother demanded justice for her traumatised daughter.

NAN reports the couple spent the new year in custody while their children, aged four and two, had been placed in the care of relatives.

Meanwhile, Prince Wiro, the National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, has condemned the alleged torture of the minor, calling it inhumane and barbaric.

“We have spoken with the teenager and observed the bruises and wounds on her body. We demand a thorough investigation by the police.

“The man must be held accountable for the allegations, while anyone else found responsible should be prosecuted,” Wiro said.

(NAN)

Metro

Nigerian Army Suspends Statutory, Voluntary Retirement For Specific Officers

Published

18 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Army has announced the indefinite suspension of all statutory and voluntary retirements for specific categories of officers.

According to an internal memo dated 3 December 2025, signed by Major General E. I. Okoro on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, this is in response to the nationwide security emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu.

Okoro explained that the measure is intended to preserve manpower, expertise, and operational readiness while the Armed Forces rapidly expand to tackle the escalating insecurity across Nigeria.

Citing the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers (HTACOS) 2024, the document pointed out that officers normally retire upon reaching the prescribed age for their rank, completing 35 years of service, or after repeated failures in promotion or conversion processes.

However, Paragraph 3.10(e) permits service extensions when it is in the interest of the military.

“Military service of a commissioned officer entails a period of unbroken service in the AFN from the date of enlistment or commissioning to the date of retirement. The period of service is determined by conditions enshrined in the HTACOS Officers 2024. These include attainment of age ceilings on various ranks, 35 years maximum length of service, and other criteria provided in Paragraphs 11.02(d) and 17.15, among extant regulations,” the memo partly read.

“Notwithstanding these provisions, Chapter 3.10(e) of HTACOS Officers 2024 allows for extension of service to officers in the interest of the service.

“The President and Commander-in-Chief declared a nationwide security emergency on November 26, mandating the expansion of the AFN and other security agencies. In line with this, and to rapidly expand manpower, it has become expedient to temporarily suspend all statutory and voluntary retirements from the Nigerian Army with immediate effect.”

According to the memo, the suspension affects Army officers in the following categories: Those who have failed promotion examinations three times, those passed over for promotion three times, those who have reached the age ceiling for their current rank, those who have failed conversion boards three times and those who have completed 35 years of service.

It explained that affected officers who wish to remain in service may apply for an extension beyond their original retirement dates.

However, the memo clarified that: “Officers in these categories who are not interested in extension of service are to continue with the normal retirement procedure. Officers desirous of extension should note that upon extension, they are not eligible for career progression, including promotion, career courses, NA sponsorship, self-sponsored courses, secondment, or extra-regimental appointments.”

Metro

NDLEA Seizes 7.6m Tramadol Pills, 76,273kg Cannabis In Nationwide Raids

Published

19 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has announced the seizure of more than 7.6 million tramadol pills and 76,273 kilograms of cannabis strains in coordinated operations across several states, with multiple suspects arrested.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the seizures were made during intelligence-led raids between 1 and 6 December.

In Delta State, operatives recovered 3,874,000 tramadol pills and 252.2 litres of codeine syrup from a warehouse at Oko market, Asaba. In Imo State, 1.2 million tramadol tablets were intercepted from a vehicle driven by 35-year-old Kelechi Nwakocha along the Onitsha-Owerri road.

In Adamawa, officers stopped a Toyota Hiace bus travelling from Jos to Mubi with 1,577,112 capsules of tramadol and exol-5 tablets concealed in jumbo bags mixed with footwear. Two suspects, Kabiru Buba, 25, and Hamza Abubakar, 32, were arrested. Another suspect, Mudansir Rabiu, 27, was apprehended in Kano with 197,000 exol-5 pills.

In Ekiti, NDLEA destroyed 14,654 kilograms of skunk in Omuo forest and 54,300 kilograms in warehouses at Asin-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the operations. In Ondo, 5,442 kilograms of skunk were seized in Igoba forest, Akure North, with five suspects taken into custody.

Further arrests were made in Niger State, where 500 kilograms of skunk were recovered from a van along Mokwa-Jebba road, and in Abuja, where 22 kilograms of synthetic cannabis known as Colorado were intercepted at Abaji expressway. A follow-up operation at Jabi park led to the arrest of a female receiver, Ali Blessing, 33. Another suspect, Aliyu Usman, 39, was arrested with 24 kilograms of skunk and 573,500 exol-5 pills along Kwali-Gwagwalada expressway.

In Lagos, 113 kilograms of Canadian Loud were recovered from Ezenwa Udoka at Ladipo market, while Izuchukwu Usulor was arrested with 351 kilograms of skunk in Onipanu. Susan Okoro was also arrested with 104.1 kilograms at Trade Fair complex, Ojo. In Edo, 447.5 kilograms of skunk were seized from two vehicles in Agho forest, Akoko Edo, and 315.8 kilograms were recovered from a warehouse in Isiefve community, Ohuwunde Local Government Area.

The Agency confirmed that sensitisation activities under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative continued during the week in schools, worship centres and communities across Kano, Benue and Rivers States.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers involved.

“Their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, are well appreciated,” he said.
The Agency stated that investigations are ongoing and suspects will be prosecuted accordingly.