Nigerian man bags life imprisonment for raping, impregnating 12-year old girl

A Jigawa High Court sitting in Hadejia has sentenced one Jibril Idi to life imprisonment for r3ping and impregnating a 12-year-old girl.

Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Ado Yusuf Birnin Kudu convicted Idi after finding him guilty of the offence.

He said the offence is contrary to Section 282 (1)(e) of the Penal Code Cap P3 Laws of Jigawa State 2012 and punishable under Section 3 of the Penal Code (Miscellaneous Amendment) Law No. 9, 2014.

Jibril Idi had r3ped and got the girl pregnant on 27th May 2017, in Diginsa village of Birniwa local government area of Jigawa State.

The victim is a student of Junior Secondary School Diginsa in Birniwa local Government.

During the trial, the defendant had pleaded not guilty for the offence he was accused of.

The prosecution counsel, however, proved his case against the defendant by providing four witnesses and tendered 3 exhibits before the court.

The defence counsel also opened their defence and closed.

Hon. Justice Ado Yusuf Birnin Kudu found the defendant guilty of the offence of r3pe and sentenced him to life imprisonment to serve as warning to others of like mind. 

Woman disappears into Imo River from FMC Hospital

A middle aged woman suspected to be a police officer, whose name was given as Chidimma Ndubuisi, on Wednesday said to have escaped from the premises of the Federal Medical Center, FMC, Owerri, and jumped into the bush path of Nworie River from where she disappeared.

The incident Vanguard gathered in Owerri, happened at about 06:45pm, at the time a man said to be her husband, was running around for her to be admitted into the hospital.

Also, another eyewitness who spoke to Vanguard, said that it appeared as if the woman was passing through some “mental challenges” as she was brought into the hospital with her legs tied.

A resident who did not mention his name to Vanguard, said that trouble started when the woman loosened herself and ranway but another side of the story said it was those who the said husband left his wife in their care may have a better knowledge of how the woman escaped.

According to an eyewitness said to Vanguard that, “This thing happened at about 06:45 pm. When a police officer brought his wife to the Federal Medical Center, FMC, Owerri, may be the wife has mental challenges because her legs were tied.

“As the husband went into the hospital leaving the sick wife with security operatives, and before you know it we don’t know if is the woman that untied herself or the security operatives that did it.”

“The next thing we saw was a woman running towards the Nworie River, at the back of the Federal Medical Center, Owerri, and from there nobody saw her again. Some people said she jumped into the river while others said that she was hiding somewhere inside the bush around the Nworie River,” the eyewitness said.

Sunday Igboho cancels Lagos Yoruba Nation rally after attack, wife’s kidnap

 

Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, has suspended the Yoruba Nation rally which was scheduled to hold in Lagos on Saturday.

Different rallies had been held in parts of South-West with that of Lagos scheduled for Saturday.

However, Igboho in an interview with BBC News Pidgin on Thursday, disclosed the rally in Lagos has been suspended.

Igboho said this hours after his house in Ibadan, Oyo State, was attacked by gunmen who reportedly killed two persons and abducted his wife.

He explained that he took the decision to cancel the Lagos rally because of safety and security issues.

Nigerian Government Discloses How IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu Was Caught

The Nigerian government has finally broken its silence on how the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, was trailed and arrested before he was extradited to Nigeria on Sunday.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said Kanu was trailed by the Nigerian security agents for two years while he was having a luxury life outside Nigeria. 

Mohammed also said the Biafra separatist leader has a wide network of collaborators supporting his agitation movement, Blueprint reports. 

The minister said this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, speaking for the first time on the arrest and repatriation of Nnamdi Kanu back to the country.

Mohammed said, “It will interest Nigerians to know that for over two years, our security and intelligence agencies were on the trail of the proscribed IPOB leader as he lived a five-star life across several countries, travelling on chartered private jets, living in luxury apartments and turning out in designing clothes and shoes. 

"Of course, as we all saw, he was wearing an attire made by Fendi, a luxury Italian fashion brand, when he was arrested.

“We can tell you that the forensic investigation carried out so far has revealed a treasure trove of information on the proscribed IPOB leader and his collaborators."

Mohammed also boasted that all the accomplices of the IPOB leader will face the full wrath of law when they are caught.

“While the investigation continues, we assure you that none of the collaborators, irrespective of their standing in the society, will be spared. 

"They will all face the full wrath of the law for their activities that challenge our nation’s sovereignty and threaten its unity. No one, no matter how highly placed, is bigger than the country," he said.

Father Mbaka Breaks Silence On Nnamdi Kanu's Arrest, Says Nigeria May Collapse

Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministries, Enugu, Fr Ejike Mbaka has reacted to the arrest of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

On Tuesday, it was reported that Kanu was arrested in another country and taken to the Federal High Court, Abuja by heavy security operatives.

Kanu was blindfolded and sneaked into the courtroom by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in handcuffs while his legs were also chained.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), on Tuesday announced that Kanu was intercepted by operatives of Nigeria's security intelligence. 

Reacting during a sermon, Mbaka prayed that 'his people' locked up in prison be released. The cleric also cited the case of Joseph in the Bible who was locked up in prison but was rather favoured by the prison wardens. 

Mbaka also warned Nigerian leaders to do the needful, else there would be a revolution that the leaders will not be able to withstand. 

He also said Nigerians have normalised suffering, which ought not to be because the country is blessed. He, however, noted that the citizens are experiencing suffering as a result of wickedness from those in government. 

He said, ”The God in him will be in the jail with him because he says when you are suffering, I am also suffering, he says when you are afflicted, God is also afflicted, a place where the state prisoners were confined, he was there in the prison, lift your hands, we minister to all the prisons in the universe, especially in our country where our people are, we minister speedy release. 

“Do you know when Jesus was in the prison, a prison in the grave, they killed him and put him inside the grave, everybody thought it was all over? The end has come in the eyes of many but look at what the Bible says in Gen 39:21, but the Lord was with Joseph, anybody that you have in heart now and is in prison, may the Lord be with that person. 

“The Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, may the Lord show our people mercy and loving-kindness and gave him a favour, may they receive favour, may the Lord give my people a favour.

“The prison warden didn't pay any attention to the charges laid against Joseph for God was with him and he made whatever he did to prosper. Do you know someone can be in prison and his business is prospering elsewhere?

“That is going to happen because of the power of favour. And the Bible says the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people...God will hear us. The downfall of a man is not his end. My enemies, do not mock me because I shall arise.

“My enemies, do not laugh at me because God is about to do something. When the Israelites were in bondage in the land of Egypt, because of them, a lot of catastrophes started happening.

“That was how they carried the man Joseph and put him in the pit, did the end come? No. One day the king had a dream and only Joseph could interpret it. 

“Each time I speak, I am being misunderstood but if our leaders will not be careful and do what they need to do to put Nigeria on a good platform, one day this country will collapse.

“If they don't do what they should do and the youths are suffering and they don't provide jobs and the leaders are busy amassing wealth, keeping money for themselves and millions of Nigerian youths are watching them, a time is coming when what we are experiencing now will just be a skit. 

“The generation of now are delivering children and their children are coming up, very soon, by the time the children are grown, they may not tolerate this nonsense because there is no country in the world that is as blessed as Nigeria yet our leaders are not ready to use the resources to take care of the children in this country.

*Suffering has become part of our history but it will not continue like this forever. Everybody cannot be dumb at the same time, our suffering is very unnecessary, there is no reason why we should be suffering what we are suffering now apart from wickedness emanating from the portals of leadership. 

“There was no kidnapping in Nigeria, there was no banditry, hooliganism was at a miniature level. I knew when we were growing up, you can hardly hear that someone stole something. At that time, leadership was not to make money. There is no reason why this kind of trouble will be in a country blessed by God in this nature.

“I am seeing a time if the priests and men of God don't speak up, a time will come when we will be hearing that Bishop ABCD is arrested and cuffed and Priest will not talk. A time is coming when children of God will not have faith in their men of God, when you tell them 'the Lord bless you', they say 'forget it'. 

“That time is coming when if we cannot speak for them now, they will not speak for us. That time is coming when offering baskets will suffer hunger because children of God will lose hope in their men and women of God. 

“If the men of God will not rise up and speak consistently for our youth, as I said, what we are experiencing now is nothing. 

“So, all those who are preparing for 2023 and seeing it as a time to launder wealth, money that should be used to develop the city, they had better stop. 

“Anytime I speak about job provision, they begin to blackmail me, they don't know I am on earth for a mission, I shall be the hand for those who have no hands, I shall be the leg for those who have no legs, I shall be the voice for those who are voiceless, even when I want to keep quiet, I cannot because the Holy Spirit is using me.

“Again, let our leaders do the needful because when the major catastrophe happens in the future, they will not be exempted. If they like, let them jail everybody, that is not the solution, let them feel the pains in the eyes of teeming Nigerians. Go to the north, people are suffering yet a few are millions in Dollars, the same with other parts of the country. 

“Intimidation will not solve the problem. I know that the real people who should be in prison are those arresting people and locking them up. I know that after this message, they will invite me again.

“They are gradually succeeding in their gimmicks and tricks to make sure men of God are silent. Look at our medical experts, hot brains graduating from medical school, where do they work? Where are the facilities, how much does it cost? When they are sick, they fly out but when we are sick we are supposed to die here. Arrest is not the solution, there is agitation in the land. Let the leaders listen. Their stubbornness will one day crumble this nation. It is not about referendum.”

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Disowns Statement Saying Nnamdi Kanu Refused To Listen To Igbo Leaders

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, has disowned a statement credited to it on the re-arrest and arraignment of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Chief Alex Ogbonnia, the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, said the group has yet to make known its position.

Ohaneze Ndigbo

He described those behind the fake statement as mischief-makers, impostors, and charlatans, PM News reports. 

“The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to a publication currently circulating in the media suggesting that Ohanaeze has issued a statement regarding the alleged re-arrest and re-arraignment of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“Ordinarily, we would have ignored the said press release, but silence in this circumstance would mean giving validity to such fallacy by the unsuspecting public.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor has not issued any press statement on the matter.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo as the apex Igbo cultural organisation does not issue public statements in a hurry,’’ he said.

The Ohanaeze spokesman noted that in the event of further breach of this warning, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo will be compelled to invoke the full weight of the law to deal with the offenders’’.

The group which issued the statement also called itself Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

It said Kanu’s arrest will avert another civil war and bring peace to the South-East.

Its secretary, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said the development will bring violent agitations in the South-East to an end.

He said Kanu’s refusal to listen to Igbo leaders’ advice led him to his present predicament.

The group advised the Nigerian government to handle the IPOB leader’s case carefully to prevent violent revolts from his followers.

“Nnamdi Kanu’s refusal to adhere to the advice of Igbo leaders, elders, and political leaders is the outcome of what had befallen him. He made a lot of enemies especially those that would have saved him and Federal Government will never lose grip on him again.

“We don’t think that any Igbo leader will stick out his/her neck for him, his re-arrest will eventually bring peace and stability to the region and averted another civil war that was raging on," he said.

IPOB Asks Members To Boycott Kenyan Airlines, Others Over Country's Involvement In Extradition Of Nnamdi Kanu

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta will face the International Criminal Court for his alleged involvement in "abducting and repatriating its leader, Nnamdi Kanu to Nigeria".

The group said it was a shameful thing for Kenyetta to have belittled himself by participating in the arrest and handing over of Kanu to the Nigerian government, adding that all other collaborators would be revealed and dragged to the international court.

According to the statement made available to SaharaReporters by the group’s spokesman, Emma Powerful on Thursday, the group called on its members to shun Kenyan Airlines and other products and services from Kenya, saying the country has become the enemy of Biafra.
 
“We the global movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great and indomitable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, express our disappointment with President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and his Government over his role in the abduction of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his subsequent smuggling into Nigeria by the wicked Nigeria security agents.
 
“We are still at shock why a President like Uhuru Kenyetta would stoop so low to collude with a terror-friendly Government like Nigeria under President Muhammad Buhari to abduct and dehumanise our leader for doing nothing other than demanding the freedom of Biafrans from the Nigeria bondage.
 
“Based on our preliminary findings, President Uhuru Kenyetta was very instrumental to the abduction of our leader in Kenya. The treacherous action of Uhuru Kenyatta against Nnamdi Kanu and Biafrans at large is a clear violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, and United Nations Code.
 
“We still don't understand why Uhuru Kenyatta and some corrupt officials of his Government would prefer to betray Nnamdi Kanu and Biafrans? Is it because of Nigeria's oil money? Is it because of the paltry N100 million bounty placed on Kanu's head by some Northern elders? Why will President Uhuru Kenyetta sell our leader Mazi Nnamdi to the evil hands of the Nigerian government?
 
“It is so shameful that Uhuru Kenyatta would belittle himself in a manner he has just done,” the statement read partly.
 
The group stated that it cannot associate with the enemy of its leader as it maintained that Kanu was never arrested but abducted by the Kenyan government.
 
Also, the pro-Biafra separatist group reminded the Nigerian government that no harm should befall its leader who is in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

In the statement titled 'President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya will be Held Accountable for Betraying Mazi Nnamdi Kanu - IPOB', the group said Kanu belongs to many international organisations. 
 
“By this wickedness and grievous sin, Uhuru Kenyatta has demonstrated his affection for the murderous Fulani terrorists ravaging entire Nigeria killing and maiming indigenous people in their ancestral lands. 
 
“Uhuru Kenyatta and his partners in crime should get ready to meet us at the International Criminal Court, ICC. This act of terror against our leader, Nnamdi Kanu, a NATO citizen, a British citizen with a British Passport, and a member of other international organisations will not go unpunished.
 
“As we continue with our investigations into this crime with a view to unmasking all the collaborators, we announce the following interim actions until further notice:
 
“We call on all Biafrans both home and in the diaspora to boycott travels with the Kenya Airlines; to immediately stop patronising any product made in Kenya, and to boycott any business dealings with Kenyans. We cannot be relating friendly with anyone collaborating with our oppressors to keep us in perpetual slavery!
 
“We also want to urge all Biafrans and members of the public to disregard all the concocted rubbish the wicked Nigerian Government and their agents have been peddling about how and where our leader was arrested.
 
“He was never arrested but abducted. All this cock and bull story is to twist facts and blackmail our selfless leader who they have seen as the major obstacle against their agenda to completely Islamise and Fulani Nigeria. Nobody should believe these lies. They are only intended to demarket our leader and puncture his global reputation and teeming followership.
 
“The global family of IPOB reaffirm our unalloyed loyalty, belief, and confidence in our leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Biafrans are united behind him in his current ordeal in the hands of our oppressors. We also wish to remind the Nigerian Government that nothing should happen to our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement added.

How We Narrowly Escaped Being Kidnapped By Our Bus Driver—Lagos-Warri Passengers

Some passengers en-route from Lagos to Warri, Delta State have in a short video clip, shared their experience about how they escaped abduction by their bus driver.

They explained that they boarded a bus at Dominion Motors in Ojota on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, and receipts tagged 'Journey Mercy Transport' were issued to them

One of the passengers who is an elderly man explained that immediately after the bus took off at Ojota Garage in Lagos, all the passengers slept off except himself and another woman.

He further explained that they regained their consciousness after they got to Satguru Maharaj Ji Village area, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

"When the two of us realized that we were at Guru Maharaj Ji in Ibadan, we asked the driver why he changed our route and he immediately made a U-turn on the same lane. He got to the other side of the road where a man was waiting for him.

"He wanted to carry the man but we refused. We did not allow him to carry the man. Though others were still sleeping I struggled with him to gain control of the steering. He later stopped the bus.

"Immediately the bus stopped, a man in police uniform came out from nowhere and collected the key from me," the passenger said

Other passengers reportedly woke up immediately after the bus stopped and their suspicions were raised by the sudden appearance of the police officer suspected to be one of the driver's accomplices. 

This made the passengers call the attention of the operatives of the Amotekun outfit to the place. 

"We woke up when the bus stopped. That was when we realized what was going on. All of us except those two slept off throughout. After we came down from the bus, people started gathering around us," another passenger explained. 

The driver has been handed over to security operatives from the Amotekun outfit while an investigation is ongoing.

Yoruba Generalissimo, Gani Adams Condemns Attack On Sunday Igboho's House, Says 8 People Killed

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams has condemned in strong terms the attack on the residence of Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho early on Thursday. 

Adams described the attack as a ploy to silence Igboho or stop him from expressing his views on the state of the nation. 

He, however, charged the Nigerian Government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the ugly incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Adams, in a statement on Thursday by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, described the attack, which he said led to the death of eight persons, with wanton destruction of his property, as very unfortunate. 

The Yoruba generalissimo said the attack has exposed the Federal Government, especially on the spate of insecurity in Nigeria. 

He said the incident was a ploy to prevent Igboho from agitating for the Yoruba nation, which, according to Adams, is what many Yoruba people, both home and abroad, want at the moment. 

"The attack on Sunday Igboho's house is most unfortunate. It is a reflection of the fact that our lives as Nigerians are of no value to the government. And the truth is that nobody is safe in this country, 

"The recent attack was the second in six months. The first was in January when his Soka residence was razed by unknown arsonists. And up till date, nobody has been apprehended in respect of the ugly incident. 

"Those agitating for the Yoruba nation have been the targets of this administration and the two attempts at Igboho's houses within six months cannot be said to be ordinary. They were ploys to cow him and frustrate him. 

"We cannot continue to live in fear and trepidation. We cannot continue to live in a perpetual crisis where our lives and properties are not secure. 

"Igboho is being hunted because of his beliefs in the struggle for the liberation of Yoruba race and those behind these two attacks should be warned that any attack on Igboho is an attack on all of us that are in the struggle for the liberation of Yoruba race. It is sad that this government is intolerant of other people's views. 

"Let me say this for emphasis that it is in the interest of the Federal Government to learn how to manage those agitating. Yoruba people are seeking self-determination or devolution of power. These are the two key things we are asking from the Federal Government. So, of the two requests, the Federal Government should be ready to negotiate for one, rather than to be using force to subdue agitators. 

"For instance, the British government didn't at any time, subdue the agitations of Scotland or Ireland. Even in Canada, Quebec settled for a region after seeking self-determination from Canada. It is their legitimate right and such must be protected under the ambit of the law. 

"As a government, it is your duty and responsibility to change people's views through better policy implementation and programmes that are in the interest of the masses, not the other way round. 

"The video clip of the attack on Sunday Igboho's house was a show of death and destruction. About eight people were allegedly killed in the attack, with wanton destruction to his property. The information at my disposal also indicates that the attack was allegedly done by the Nigerian Army in collaboration with foreign terrorists. Imagine if Igboho was killed in the attack, it might lead to a raging war. Remember the case of Boko Haram leader, Muhammed Yusuff,who was killed in 2009. The death of Yusuff became Nigeria's nemesis and Boko Haram has created the most challenging problem in Nigeria till today. 

"As far as I am concerned, I don't support anything that negates the law or anybody that disobeys the law, however, the Federal Government should be able to tolerate other people's views by taking into consideration the rights of every citizen as it is in the constitution. This is what makes democracy thrives," Adams said.

UPDATE: Nigerian Soldiers, Secret Police 'Arrested' Cat They Believed Sunday Igboho Turned To During Invasion Of His House—Eyewitnesses

Some of those working with Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho, have narrated how gunmen in military uniform allegedly attacked the residence of the Yoruba rights activist.

SaharaReporters had reported how Ighoho’s house in the Soka area of Ibadan, Oyo state was attacked around 1am on Thursday.

Sunday Igboho

At least 10 vehicles belonging to the self-styled activist, including his G-wagon, Prado SUVs, and valuable properties, furniture, and windows were destroyed.

Bullet holes were also found on the buildings in the compound while bloodstains were seen on the premises by our correspondent.

Speaking to SaharaReporters, an aide to the Ighoho who said he witnessed the incident said the attackers took away jewellery and a huge amount of cash belonging to the Yoruba activist and his family.

“Around 1am, we started hearing gunshots, there was pandemonium everywhere. Then we saw soldiers, they were dressed as if they were going for a battle. Before we knew what was happening, they started targeting places where people sleep in the house. 

“It was God that saved me and others, they came prepared. Only God knows how they identified Igboho’s room, they went there, took his money and jewellery. Same as that of his wife and other family members.

“They even took away his cat when they didn’t see him. They claimed it might be Ighoho that turned to the cat, so they took it away.

“They shot at the cars and riddled the glasses and doors with bullets.”

SaharaReporters gathered that the operatives also killed some of the small cats found in the house while the big one was taken away. 

Another person who spoke on condition of anonymity said, "They came around 1:30 am and started shooting. They scaled the fence and started shooting at everybody and everything they saw. 

"Chief was around but the way he escaped surprised everybody. An insider must have given them information about the house and its occupants. 

"They were asking for each person by name and they killed five and took away their corpses. They also whisked a lady away and wives of Igboho's aides who live in the house. 

"Those who came are soldiers and Department of State Services (DSS) operatives. 

"They even killed some small cats and 'arrested' a bigger cat, believing Igboho might have turned to the cat."