The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria has demanded the overhaul of the educational system in the country to eradicate cases of violence in the schools.
The group was reacting to the controversial death of Sylvester Oromoni, the 12-year-old pupil of Dowen College in Lagos.
Oromoni had died after he was allegedly beaten by senior colleagues for refusing to join a cult group.
In a statement signed by Amina Suzannah Agbaje, its National President, and Christiana Oyanvutu Adejumo, its National Publicity Secretary, FIDA Nigeria condemned the alleged torture and the death of the student.
The group said the incident was an indication that there was a need to overhaul the country's educational structure, noting that Oromoni died due to systemic failure.
The statement read: "FIDA Nigeria has noticed that the trend of violence by and to children and youth in institutions of learning is becoming rampant and must be checked and stopped forthwith.
"Reference is here made to the recent incident of a) 11-year-old Don Davies Archibong in Deeper Life High School, Idoro, Uyo Akwa Ibom State and b) 14-year-old, Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akpagher, a Senior Secondary School (SSS1) student of Premiere Academy Lugbe, Abuja raped in her dormitory and so forth, who have suffered similar violence resulting in grievous injury and death.
"These terrible tales emanating from secondary schools across the nation are an indication of a failing system in dire need of overhauling. The grave situation must be addressed with utmost urgency."
Citing article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the group said children had the right to be protected from physical and mental violence, neglect, sexual abuse and exploitation, while they are in the care of parents or any other person.
The group listed several demands essential to revamp the educational system and asked the government to ensure justice for Oromoni.
It added, "FIDA categorically states that the total well-being of our children matters and education is not just about getting excellent grades and the economic benefits that accrue to institutions, but about balancing academic performance against good character formation.
"Attention must also be paid to addressing forthwith the issue of cultism and fraternities in our schools, the system must be sanitised.
"FIDA demands prompt justice for Sylvester and insists on a complete thorough and objective investigation into all aspects of the case, (and indeed other recently reported cases), to determine the culpability of management, the truants involved and so forth, such that no one is shielded from investigation or punishment; that the Ministry of Education must take responsibility and act quickly in promptly addressing key issues affecting schools generally.
"The Federal and State Government should overhaul the educational facilities/system with a view to instilling high moral and other standards, which will deter evil actors of crimes such as this.
"Parents working with schools should be proactive to teach and insist on good values, integrity and good character but above all, respect and dignity for persons (even as children) rather than shielding them
"Proper and effective medical support in schools including psychological assessment for the well-being of a child in school; a child should not be so frightened that he/she cannot lodge a report to school authorities or parents.”
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Bandits have again invaded Jangali Bagoma in the Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna State and kidnapped 36 persons.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday and yesterday.
File Photo: Gunmenmiddleeastpress
According to Leadership, Malam Abubakar Mohammed, who is a resident of Birnin Gwari disclosed this to journalists in Kaduna.
He said, “The bandits attacked the community yesterday and this morning (Monday) and kidnapped the villagers, including women and children.
“They didn’t kill anybody during the attacks. We are still gathering the figures of the people they kidnapped today (Monday)”.
He lamented that the bandits attacked the community twice within 24 hours, a situation he described as heartbreaking.
It would be recalled that bandits kidnapped over 50 residents of Ungwa Gimbiya in Chikun local government area in the early hours of Friday, 3rd December, 2021.
Mohammed said “Nigerians are no longer safe in their homes, these people are kidnapping our people anyhow, anytime. Our government should do something and end this kidnapping, we cannot continue like this.”
He also called on the security agencies to put in more efforts in order to ensure the safety of Nigerians, he added.
When the police public relations officer, Mohammed Jalige, was contacted, he promised to confirm the incident and get back but did not do so as of the time of filing this report yesterday.
Jalige had confirmed the Friday’s attack, saying the bandits stormed the community at about 1am, killing two people and taking away 20 residents before the arrival of security operatives.
“A combined team of security operatives have launched a manhunt for the kidnappers with a view to rescuing the kidnapped victims and arresting the criminals,” he had added.
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The National Judicial Council has been petitioned over an alleged falsification of the age of the acting Chief Judge of Gombe State, Justice Muazu Pindiga.
The state government had in 2020 named Pindiga as acting capacity after the Nigeria Judicial Council rejected its Chief Judge's nominee list over the omission of the most senior judge, Justice Beatrice L. Iliya.
Iliya's name was omitted from the nomination list by the Gombe State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Zubairu Mohammed Umar, for being a Christian, sources had told SaharaReporters.
In the petition also addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Mohammed, dated 29th November, 2021, the petitioner, a Nigerian, Hussaini Musa, stated that Gombe State acting Chief Judge altered his age from 1st January, 1957 to 1st April, 1957, thereby influencing his retirement age from January to April 2022.
The petitioner added that Pindiga ought to have given his statutory three months’ notice of retirement on September 1, 2021.
Musa said, “My lord, the records submitted by Justice Muazu Pindiga at the time of his appointment as required by law, through a statutory declaration of age or birth certificate, states his date of birth as January 1, 1957, therefore, his expected retirement date is January 1, 2022).
“This information is contained on the National Judicial Council’s Nominal Roll of Judicial Officers in the High Court of Gombe State; his Curriculum Vitae; National Judicial Council’s Data on Judicial Officers which was filled and signed by Justice Muazu Pindiga as far back as June 30, 2004; National Judicial Council’s Survey on Facilities Form which was also filled and signed by Justice Muazu Pindiga as far back as August 30, 2006); and the Compendium of Judicial Officers in Nigeria by the National Judicial Institute, Abuja on page 444 which was published in 2011.
“However, in a un-scrupulous and desperate bid to stay longer in office, and to defraud the government of undeserved salaries and allowances and other attendant benefits, Justice Muazu Pindiga has declared a different date of birth April 1, 1957 in another Statutory Declaration of Age which, though stated on the face of the affidavit to have been sworn in 2013, was only recently submitted by him to the Secretary of the NJC. This new and questionable declaration was meant to extend his stay in office and retirement date to April 1, 2022).”
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The Dowen College Parents’ Forum in Lagos State has reacted to an online campaign that parents should withdraw their children from the school following the death of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni, who was allegedly bullied and killed by fellow pupils.
The forum earlier called for a change of school management and hostel teachers as well as the installation of Closed Circuit Television Cameras in the school amid the public outrage that has followed Sylvester’s painful death.
In an exclusive interview with SaharaReporters on Tuesday, one of the executive members of the forum, Aituaz Kola-Oladejo, said parents withdrawing their children from the school would not solve any problem.
There has been an online campaign tagged #justiceforsylvesteroromoni, asking parents to withdraw their wards from Dowen College over the way the school has handled the matter.
However, Kola-Oladejo said the moment should be seen as an opportunity to totally reform secondary education in Nigeria, generally.
“There are lapses but I would not say that people should withdraw their children at this point in time. I would rather say this is a time to heal, reconcile and build. That is my message for Dowen parents; let us work with Dowen management to build and Dowen management is ready to cooperate but they are going through a lot now with the police and all of that.
“And there were some processes they put in place in January but it is just unfortunate that some other things that they should have addressed were not addressed and those things are also as important as academic work but I cannot comment further on this because we are also waiting for the outcome of the investigation.
“Justice for Sylvester is justice for all and that is where the Dowen Parents’ Forum stands and that is why we are planning a candlelight service for him tomorrow to honour his memory and commiserate with his parents.”
She said, “The parents really didn’t have an online forum. If you notice, this is the parents’ forum and not the PTA (Parent-Teacher Association), so we had to reach out to all the parents with children in different classes – junior and secondary schools – to organise this forum and we agreed that we had to put a statement out there because we are also saddened by the loss of Sylvester.
“We have been working on this and there are several other things that we are working on. We are working on a wellness committee to help traumatised children and parents, so that is why it also took us some time to react. Some parents are traumatised; I couldn’t sleep for days. Some children are traumatised as we speak. Some were classmates, roommates, bunkmates of Sylvester. It is really painful so we had to come together and express ourselves with a common voice because this a tough time for every Dowen parent.”
When queried about why bullying was allegedly not taken seriously in the school by the management and the parents, she said there had been nothing as serious as Sylvester’s case in the school’s history.
“This is the first time I personally have heard of a case this bad, there can be cases of a student bullying another student in class but the school has an anti-bullying policy so such students have been reprimanded and there have been cases in the past when Dowen College suspended some students.
“So really, this particular one is one very serious one. They have had cases but I don’t think they have had a case this bad in its history, which is about 25 years. I am personally not aware of a case this bad in the 4-5 years (I have had children) in the school.”
SaharaReporters earlier today reported that the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, revealed that three students of the college were being investigated over the death of Sylvester.
Although Odumosu did not give the identities of those in custody, he had insisted that they were the main suspects.
The story of 12-year-old Sylvester went viral last week after a family member went on social media to demand justice.
In a series of Tweets, the family member, with handle @Perrisonoromoni, said Sylvester was assaulted by some senior students of Dowen College.
He added that Sylvester died after sustaining multiple internal injuries from being tortured and bullied.
Also, in a video released online by the family member, Oromoni Jr was seen writhing in pain. His teeth were stained dark red with blood. His legs were swollen, and his belly was bloated.
The Management of Dowen College in a statement had claimed that Sylvester was injured while playing football. In another statement, they assured that they would cooperate with authorities to investigate the incident.
The Lagos State government through its Ministry of Education paid an inquiry visit to the college and announced on Friday that the school be shut down indefinitely.
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The Chief Whip of the Senate and former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, has refuted claims on social media that he instructed Nigeria’s secret police, Department of State Services (DSS) to work against the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Nnamdi Kanu's brother, Prince, had on Tuesday alleged that the DSS operatives denied the separatist leader food and also not allowed him to see his medical test results.
Reports are also being circulated that Senator Kalu told the DSS operatives not to feed Nnamdi Kanu after his visit to Kanu in the DSS facility in Abuja on Monday, November 29.
Reacting on his verified Facebook page, Kalu debunked the reports, while urging Nigerians to ignore them.
Kalu said, “A friend said the statement below is been (sic) circulated on social media and I urge you to please ignore as it's a big fat lie and cheap propaganda. The circulating lie says, "When Senator Orji Uzor Kalu visited DSS and Mazi Nnamdi, he told the DSS to stop giving Nnamdi Kanu food and Nnamdi Kanu has been living without food since then.
"My brief take is that there is nothing one would do that people won't talk about. If you don't visit, they will blame you for not visiting. If you visit, they will still blame you. But more sympathetic to me is those that believe and propagate any cock-and-bull story. If the agenda is to create hatred between me and my brothers, it's a waste of time because my people love me and I love them too. I will always respond to hate with love.”
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The bail request made by Dr. Ramon Adegoke Adedoyin, the detained founder of Oduduwa University in Ile-Ife, Osun State, has been declined by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Adedoyin had in an ex-parte motion, filed along with a fundamental rights enforcement suit, prayed the court to admit him to bail pending the conclusion of investigation by the police or pending the determination of his fundamental rights suit.
He had also asked to be allowed access to quality medical facilities of his choice pending the conclusion of police’s investigation and his possible arraignment.
Meanwhile, Justice Inyang Ekwo after listening to Kunle Adegoke, the lead counsel for the defendant, declined to grant any of the prayers but instead ordered Adedoyin to serve the motion and other processes in the case on the sole respondent, the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Adedoyin, the owner of the Hilton Hotel, Ile Ife, Osun State, where a Masters student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Timothy Adegoke, was allegedly murdered, has been arrested for some time now in relation to the murder.
Chief Segun Aworinde in a supporting affidavit, who described himself as Adedoyin’s younger brother, said despite being informed that Adedoyin was hypertensive and diabetic, the police refused to release him or allow him access to quality health facility since he was arrested on November 15.
He added that Adedoyin was “arrested on the 15th day of November, 2021 by the respondent (IGP) and has since then been in detention in connection with some allegations bordering on the mysterious death and dumping of the corpse of one Timothy Adegoke who was said to have lodged in the Applicant’s hotel, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, situate, lying and being at Ile-Ife, Osun State.
“By virtue of my relationship to the applicant as aforementioned, I know as a fact that the applicant is a hypertension and diabetes patient for over 15 years and has been on specialised drugs and treatments including but not limited to traditional herbs but to which he has not been able to have access since his incarceration by the respondent.”
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The Nigerian government has said it is prepared to vaccinate 70 per cent of Nigerians against COVID-19 before the end of 2022.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, said this on Monday in Abuja.
According to Daily Trust, Mustapha spoke at the National COVID-19 Summit with the theme: “Pushing Through the Last Mile to End the Pandemic and Build Back Better”.
“We are now in the era of vaccines and non-pharmaceutical intervention measures.
“We need to encourage all eligible persons to get vaccinated and keep observing washing of hands, wearing of face masks, keeping physical distance and avoiding crowded areas. Nigeria has invested in vaccines that can cover over 70 per cent of our population before the end of 2022.
“These vaccines are safe and efficacious; it is better and safer to be vaccinated against this virus, now,” Mustapha said.
He said that at the end, the committee was expected to have carried out the review of the country’s COVID-19 response from February 2020 to November 2021 to identify successes, gaps and lessons to be learnt; and also to identify resources and develop strategies that will actualise the country’s expressed international commitments toward ending COVID-19 by 31st December 2022 among others.
The SGF said that other expectations were an articulation of actionable recommendations to President Muhammadu Buhari on the governance structure, resources and policies needed to end COVID-19 in Nigeria by 31 December 2022.
He said that the recommendations would include how to rebuild the health system and the economy for a better response to future threats.
He said, “Nigeria’s COVID-19 response has been driven by science, data and experience since then till date.
“The national response has been driven by a multi-sectoral process which facilitated expansive and in-depth consideration of issues as well as speedy decision-making.
“The process enjoyed the overwhelming support of partners from the private sector and the international community. Through these partners, Nigeria was able to put in place critical infrastructure nationwide, procure scarce medical equipment, test kits and personal protective materials.”
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The military in Myanmar has reduced the prison sentence of deposed leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, to two years.
Suu Kyi was earlier sentenced to four years in prison by a court in the country on Monday over multiple charges of corruption, violations of a state secrets act and a telecoms law that altogether carry a maximum sentence of more than a century in prison.
She, however, received a pardon from the military later on Monday, according to state media, MRTV.
Suu Kyi is set to serve time in detention at an undisclosed location.
A civil society organisation, the Rule of Law And Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), has revealed that there were 82 documented cases of attacks on police and government infrastructure across the country between January and October 2021.
The group disclosed this in a report shared with SaharaReporters on Monday.
File Photo
The report covered areas such as affected organisations and facilities, perpetrator organisations as well as a number of incidents by states.
Findings by the group showed the Nigeria Police Force was the most affected organisation during the period reviewed with 112 deaths recorded.
This was followed by the Nigerian Customs Service as well as the military with three and four deaths respectively.
When the affected facilities were considered, the NPF also topped the chart with 34 police stations set ablaze during the period.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) followed with five of its offices either burnt or attacked while the Correctional Services came third on the list three of its centres attacked.
The Department of State Services (DSS), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) all have only one of their offices attacked.
Further breakdown of the report showed that “unknown gunmen accounted for major attacks (49), followed by bandits (5), hoodlums (4), angry residents (2) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) with one case.”
Findings on the number of incidents by states are as follow; Abia (10), Akwa Ibom (7), Anambra (9), Delta (3), Ebonyi (7), Enugu (3), Imo (12), Kaduna (2), Kogi (1), Kwara (1), Niger (2), Rivers (2) and Zamfara (1).
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The Kwara State Consultative Forum has petitioned the Legal Practitioners Committee (LPPC) of the Supreme Court over the alleged complicity of Salman Ayinla Jawondo, the Attorney General of the state in the case involving the murder of a student.
The lady, who is a 300-level student of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), was raped and murdered by her attackers.
After news of the student's death broke, security operatives tracked and arrested her alleged killers.
The state attorney-general then took over the case as the prosecutor as part of efforts to ensure justice for the deceased.
But in the petition obtained by SaharaReporters and addressed to the chairman of the LPPC, the Kwara State Consultative Forum faulted Jawondo's handling of the matter.
In the petition dated October 19 and signed by Bisi Fakayode, the forum said the attorney-general appointed Saka Rasak, head of his private firm, as counsel for two of the accused persons.
The forum called on the Supreme Court to look into the matter, arguing that there is no way justice can be achieved in the case as it is currently being handled by the attorney-general.
"We wish to draw the attention of Your Lordship and the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee to the gross act of misconduct currently being perpetrated by Mr Salman Ayinla Jawondo, the current Attorney General of Kwara State and a candidate to be conferred with the highest position in the legal profession as a SAN," it read.
"Sir, very recently the office of the Attorney General instituted a criminal charge of criminal conspiracy and murder against eight (8) accused persons found to be culpable in the murder of a young University of Ilorin graduate before one of the High Courts in Ilorin, Kwara State.
"To our surprise, Sir, the Attorney General, Ayinla Salman Jawondo has been prosecuting the case for the state while the man who is the head of his private Chambers, in the person of Mr Saka Rasak has been representing two (2) of the accused persons.
"Sir as a duly registered Association under the requisite laws, we found this to be absurd and incomprehensible as this is a clear unambiguous case of abnormality that will hinder and affect the dispensation of justice in this case.
"My Lord Sir, it is clear that there will be a clash of interest while the Attorney is prosecuting and his own head of Chambers in a private setting is defending, as the universal principle of law is that you cannot be a judge in your own case...”
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Lere Olayinka, the spokesman for former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose has mocked President Muhammadu Buhari, saying the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus will stop the President from junketing across the globe.
The Omicron variant was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from South Africa on 24th November 2021. And the WHO designated it two days later as a variant of concern and named it Omicron, the 15th letter in the Greek alphabet.
The variant has an unusually large number of mutations, several of which are novel, and a significant number of which affect the spike protein targeted by most COVID-19 vaccines at the time of discovering the Omicron variant.
SaharaReporters had reported that the Nigerian president has been junketing across the world in the last three months.
Buhari in September 2021 travelled to New York, US to participate in the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Then on October 3, President Buhari left for Ethiopia to attend the inauguration of the country’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for a second five-year term in office.
He was also in Saudi Arabia on October 24 for an investment conference organised by the Future Investment Initiative Institute and lesser Hajj in Madinah and Makkah.
Two days after returning to Nigeria from Saudi Arabia, Buhari left the country for Glasgow to participate in the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The President however on November 2 secretly abandoned the conference and travelled to London for a medical checkup.
His aircraft, a Gulfstream Aerospace GV-SP (G550) with registration number 5N-FGW and serial number 5310 (Mode-S 0640F2) left the Glasgow International Airport at 10:14 pm (9:14 UK time) and arrived at Stansted Airport, London at 11:11 pm (10:11 pm UK time).
On Tuesday, November 09, Buhari departed London for Paris, France.
The Presidency later said Buhari was expected back to the country on Tuesday, November 16.
SaharaReporters had exclusively reported that Buhari would thereafter travel to South Africa, and that his media, security and protocol teams had already left for the Southern African country.
Last Wednesday, Buhari departed the country to attend the Expo 2020 in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In the current 2022 budget proposal, the President will spend N2.3 billion on travelling out of which N775.6 million will be spent on local trips while N1.5 billion was budgeted for international travels.
Reacting to his ceaseless trips amid Omicron, Olayinka wrote that the virus will incapacitate the Nigerian leader from travelling.
Some people have tagged Buhari as Ajala because of his penchant for travelling abroad at the slightest opportunity.
The name 'Ajala' is used to reference Moshood Ajala, a Nigerian socialite and travel writer famous for being a globe-trotter.
“At least, Ajala will not travel again for now. #omicroncovid,” Olayinka, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member wrote on his verified Facebook page on Monday.
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Lantana Isiyaku, who was allegedly brutalised by former defunct Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) officers, has accused Inspector Bidas of forcing her to strip naked while brutalising her.
SaharaReporters had reported how the divorce-seeking housewife, Isiyaku, was allegedly brutalised by two operatives who were with the defunct SARS in Adamawa State.
Isiyaku, 25, was allegedly manhandled by Inspector Bidas and one other officer, yet to be identified, on the instruction of her husband, Umar Ibrahim.
SaharaReporters had reported that Isiyaku had filed for a divorce over alleged maltreatment, physical abuse and lack of care at an Area Court in Mayo-Inne, in the Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area.
However, Ibrahim who opposed the suit, accused the judge of having a romantic relationship with his wife; consequently, the judge recused himself and the case was transferred to another judge, who delivered a judgment in his (Ibrahim) favour.
The court ruled and ordered the estranged wife (Isiyaku), who was living with her parents to return to her matrimonial home. She, however, appealed the judgment at the Sharia Appeal Court in Yola, seeking the court's order to refund the bride price paid on her.
Irked by her moves, her husband, Ibrahim was said to have sought the services of a brutal police inspector (Bidas), to teach her a bitter lesson, according to her lawyer, Abubakar Kolone.
Kolone further alleged that "she was arrested by Inspector Bidas, tortured, slapped, kicked and left with swollen hand(s)."
"She was also detained illegally," he added.
The spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed the incident, saying, "The case is being investigated at Zone 3 Command".
Isiyaku later on Monday told SaharaReporters how she was assaulted.
She said, "Inspector Bidas forced me to remove my clothes, slapped me twice and kicked me with his boot, which made me lose my balance and fall on the floor.
"He hit me several times with a stick, on my back and my right hand, trying to force me to confess.
"He insisted I must tell him who is sponsoring my litigation before the court."
Isiyaku said she was brutalised in the presence of her estranged husband, Umar Ibrahim at the police headquarters in Yola, the state capital.
She was illegally locked up and later released after being detained for over 8 hours.
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A five-year-old girl identified as Hanifa Abubakar has reportedly been abducted by kidnappers at Yankaba, Kwanar Dakata Unguwar located at Kawaji in the Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State.
It was gathered that the little girl was whisked away to an unknown destination while coming back from an Islamiyya school known as Dahiru Bauchi, on Saturday, December 4, 2021.
Hanifa's uncle, Suraju informed SaharaReporters that the incident occurred around 5 pm, adding that the abductors came in a tricycle, locally called Keke Marwa.
He stated that the unknown abductors promised to give the girl and some other children coming from the Islamiyya school a lift home but she was taken away.
Suraju said the other children who witnessed the incident told him how Hanifa was abducted.
"They closed from school around 5:30 pm; the distance from her home to the Islamiyya school is not far. So children normally trek to the school in groups. After dropping the children off, they then asked Hanifa to enter again for an 'extra' ride, and then zoomed off with her," he said.
At the time of filing this report, Suraju said a report had been filed at the Kano State Police Command.
He said the whereabouts of Hanifa were still unknown and that the kidnappers had yet to contact her family members.
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At least 186, 406 persons have signed a petition on the change.org platform, demanding answers as to the cause of death of Sylvester Oromoni, a 12-year-old student of Dowen College, Lagos whose death was allegedly caused by tortures suffered from bullies.
Signatories to the petition have also called for swift prosecution of all those responsible for the gruesome death of the deceased.
The petition was started by The Irede Foundation with the title, ‘We Want Justice For Sylvester’ and it has since attracted over 186, 406 signatures.
It is directed at decision-makers such as the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Obafela Bank-Olemoh, the Senior Special Assistant on Education Interventions to the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari and others.
It reads, “The death of a 12-year-old student, Sylvester Oromoni, of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, sparked outrage online when it was learned that he was allegedly bullied and beaten to death by other students at the boarding school.
“A viral video shared by the family has shown how Sylvester was writhing in pain while bleeding from his mouth. His lips appeared swollen and his teeth looked broken.
“According to one of his relatives, the deceased mentioned the names of five persons, whom he said were allegedly responsible for his injuries before he finally died on Tuesday 30.11.2021.
”In its response to the student’s death, the Dowen College school’s authorities in a statement claimed the deceased sustained injuries while playing football and was given immediate medical attention by the school's resident nurse. The school denied that Sylvester had been bullied or attacked by some students in the school and said it had carried out a preliminary investigation, where its officials claimed that there was no case of bullying, adding that it has policies that are strongly anti-cultism. See AlsoNewsEmbattled Dowen College Calls 12-Year-Old Pupil Allegedly Killed By Colleagues Its 'Beacon Of Light' After Backlash0 Comments1 Day Ago
“The deceased, according to his parents in media reports had also alleged that he was given a substance to drink by the bullies.
“The efforts by the school’s administrators are not enough and authorities are silent. Investigations must be done to discover what really happened to Sylvester.
“1. Did the school do enough to protect Sylvester?
“2. How were the injuries that led to his death sustained?
“3. Was the school negligent in protecting its students?
”There are so many questions and not enough answers.
“We’re asking for a thorough and transparent investigation and prosecution of those found to be culpable in this tragic incident.
“Social protection is particularly important for children, in view of this crime, we also throw in our concern for children with disabilities to ensure the protection of children is inclusive of them.
“Justice must be served and seen to be served for 12-year-old Sylvester and his family.”
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A former student of Olashore School (OIS) in lloko-ljesha, Osun State, simply identified as Obiamaka Azubike, has alleged that the school tried to cover up when she reported that she was sexually assaulted by 13 students.
In a lengthy letter addressed to the school and seen by SaharaReporters, Chidinma said she was a student of OIS between September 1998 and July 2004 during and that she served in various capacities including as public relations (PR) prefect.
The student said her ordeal started on May 1, 2004, when the school had its entry examination.
According to her, around 8 pm on that day, she and four of her female friends had left their hostels to go to the school hall where a debate was holding.
Chidinma said when she got to the hall, she and her friends were told that Senior Secondary School 3 students were excluded from the exercise since they had an examination to prepare for at the time.
She said on her way back to her hostel, she was allegedly sexually assaulted by 13 of her male classmates, leaving her in severe pain.
The rankled lady said she narrowly escaped the encounter and thereafter
went to the principal’s apartment inside the school.
Chidinma said when she arrived at the principal’s house, he and his wife cross-examined her and was later taken to the school’s clinic for treatment where the nurse confirmed that she had “vaginal trauma” as a result of the experience.
The former student said her sister, who was also a student of the school, later came to take her to her hostel.
The lady said on numerous occasions, the principal made her write statements about her experience and promised to inform her parents about it but failed to do so.
She recalled that on her way from the principal's office to find out if the principal had called her parents as promised, she was attacked again and severely beaten by some boys.
Chidinma said one of the boys who beat him was not among those who sexually assaulted her but was persuaded by her abusers to join them in the matter because his guardian was the founder of the school, a monarch, Oba Oladele Olashore.
The lady said the school convened a special assembly the next day and her abusers were “punished (sentenced to the junior house for their examinations with the prefects amongst them de-badged).”
The lady said the founder, Oba Oladele Olashore, however, “turned to me and declared that I would have the same punishment — I was punished for talking about being sexually assaulted.”
She said: “I was also banned from Prom and the Valedictory service. The girl that was with me that night but escaped being assaulted was also given the same punishment I was given."
Chidinma said when her parents eventually got to know about the incident, the principal “attempted to tell a different story from what happened" and dragged her family's name in the mud.
The lady, who said she has been traumatised by the experience for the past 17 years, called on the school to ensure justice is served in the case.
“It is unfair to expect survivors of sexual assault and rape to live with lifelong consequences while the people and the systems that damaged us go scot-free," she added.
“My ask today is simple, correct the injustice you served. Publicly apologise in print and on social to me (Obiamaka Azubike), the now young woman who you punished with me (name withheld) and our families who were humiliated.
“Reinstate the records to show that both Chiamaka née Azubike and I, Obiamaka Azubike were school prefects.
“Grant a zoom ceremony where Chiamaka née Azubike and I are both awarded our honours which we earned.”
Efforts to reach the school authorities for comments failed as they could not be reached on the phone numbers listed on the school's website.
One of the numbers was not available while repeated calls to the other were not answered.
EducationScandalNewsAddThis : Original Author : Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements :
A divorce-seeking housewife, Lantana Isiyaku, has allegedly been brutalised by two former Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) operatives, in Adamawa State.
Isiyaku, 25, was alleged to have been manhandled by Inspector Bidas and one other officer, yet to be identified, on the instruction of her husband, Umar Ibrahim.
File Photo
SaharaReporters learnt that Isiyaku had filed for a divorce over alleged maltreatment, physical abuse and lack of care at an Area Court in Mayo-Inne, in the Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area.
In the suit, Isiyaku prayed the court to terminate her marriage to Ibrahim, who was also married to two other women.
However, Ibrahim who opposed the suit, accused the judge of having a romantic relationship with his wife; consequently, the judge recused himself and the case was transferred to another judge who delivered a judgment in his (Ibrahim) favour.
The court ruled and ordered the estranged wife (Isiyaku), who was living with her parents to return to her matrimonial home. She, however, appealed the judgment at the Sharia Appeal Court in Yola, seeking the court's order to refund the bride price paid on her.
Irked by her moves, her husband, Ibrahim was said to have sought the services of a brutal police inspector (Bidas), to teach her a bitter lesson, according to her lawyer, Abubakar Kolone.
Kolone further alleged that "she was arrested by Inspector Bidas, tortured, slapped, kicked and left with swollen hand(s)."
"She was also detained illegally," he added.
The spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed the incident, saying, "The case is being investigated at Zone 3 Command".
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The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has accused the Nigerian police intelligence response team of planning to assassinate the entire family of Nwachukwu-Egole in the Orlu local government area of Imo State.
According to the group, the IRT and other security agencies targeted the family which belongs to Sabbath Christian Faith.
File photo used to illustrate story.
It alleged that some members of the family have already been abducted and killed and that their places of worship have been destroyed.
The group which is also known as Intersociety said security agents have succeeded in killing members of the family identified as “Pastor Cletus Nwachukwu Egole, who was killed extra-judicially in detention at Abattoir in Abuja in July 2021 and Pastor Chinedu Nwachukwu Egole, killed extra-judicially in detention at Tiger Base, Owerri in June 2021.”
Intersociety also said, “Another key member of the family and father of five children, Mr Eugene Nwachukwu Egole and first son of the slain Pastor Cletus Egole, Chinemeze Nwachukwu Egole were also abducted and has disappeared since February 2021.”
The group revealed this in a statement made available to SaharaReporters on Saturday.
The statement was signed by the Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi; Head, Democracy and Good Government Department, Chinwe Umeche; Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law Department, Obianuju Igboeli; Head, Campaign and Publicity Department, Chidimma Udegbunam, and Deputy Head, Policing and Law Enforcement Department, Chibueze Nwajiaku.
In the statement, Intersociety alleged that the residence of the family was invaded by IRT and Army on the 13th February, 2021 where Cletus Egole, his wife, Ifeyinwa and their eight children were abducted in the early hours.
The statement reads in parts, “The Nigerian Government and its security forces have been engaging in mindless ethno-religious profiling and terrorization of citizens subscribing to Sabbath Christian Faith and related others in Eastern Nigeria, especially those under the umbrella of ‘the African Instituted Churches'.
“Without provable and indictable pieces of evidence, the security forces including Police IRT, RRS and others and soldiers of the Nigerian Armed Forces and their joint forces under 'Special Forces' as well as operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have been going about in frenzy, abducting members and leaders of the Faith, destroying their properties including homes, sacred places of worship and livelihoods and killing them at will after being taken into custody or at the point of their arrest or abduction.
“The Nwachukwu-Egole family is located in Orlu in Imo State, South-East Nigeria and comprised of three principal heads and nineteen children including a Pastor at Synagogue Church/head of Egole Family (Cletus Egole, father of nine children), a Pastor at Pentecostal Church (Chinedu Egole, father of three infants), a businessman (Eugene Egole, father of five children), a pharmacist wife of Pastor Cletus Egole (Ifeyinwa Egole, mother of nine children), a maternal grandmother (Evelyn Mgbenwa) and their nineteen children most of whom are underage, from two to 16 years.
The family is presently in disarray and at high risk of being wiped out (familicide) by the Intelligence Response Unit of the Nigeria Police Force (Police IRT) and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, known as “Special Forces.”
“The two oldest among the nineteen children in the family are the first son of the head of the Egole Family (Chinemeze, 25) and the family’s first daughter (Deborah Chidozie, 23). Deborah has remained in hiding since February 2021 and dropped out of her School of Nursing at Okigwe. The 19 affected children and their parents are: 1. Nine children of slain Pastor Cletus Egole: Chinemeze, Deborah, Iruoma, Ekperebuike, Promise, Mmerichukwu, Solomon, Peculiar and Emmanuel. 2. Five children of missing and presumably murdered Eugene Egole: Mmesoma, Mmasi, Ebenezer, Favour and Chigozirim. 3. Three infant children of slain Pastor Chinedu Egole are also at high risk, starving and endangered. His nursing wife has abandoned her matrimonial home to escape being killed. 4. Their maternal grandmother (mother of Ifeyinwa Egole), Madam Evelyn Mgbenwa and her two underage children: Blessing Ngozichukwu Okafor and Emmanuel Okafor are also in hiding, starving and at high risk.”
The Intersociety further revealed that, “Personnel of the Police IRT at ‘Tiger Base’ in Imo State and those at the Force CIB/IRT Abattoir, Abuja have extra-judicially killed two principal family members in their custody and they are: Pastor Cletus Nwachukwu Egole, who was killed extra-judicially in detention at Abattoir in Abuja in July 2021 and Pastor Chinedu Nwachukwu Egole, killed extra-judicially in detention at Tiger Base, Owerri in June 2021.
“Another key member of the family and father of five children, Mr. Eugene Nwachukwu Egole and first son of the slain Pastor Cletus Egole; Chinemeze Nwachukwu Egole were also abducted and been made to disappear since February 2021 by the combined team of the Police IRT and military personnel called 'Special Forces.' They are most likely to have been killed in captivity.
“As if the above conduct atrocities were not enough, the Imo and Abuja IRT personnel also abducted the pharmacist wife of the slain head of the Egole Family (Pastor Cletus Nwachukwu Egole), Mrs. Ifeyinwa Nwachukwu Egole, mother of nine and 45 years of age. They vandalised and burnt down her pharmacy store. She was later taken to Abuja IRT Abattoir, where she was mercilessly tortured, dehumanised and presently held in chain since February 2021 without trial. The arsonist security personnel also burnt beyond recognition the Family House and the Synagogue Church of slain Pastor Cletus Nwachukwu Egole.”
The group further said, “The invasion and burning of the Nwachukwu Egole Family took place when a combined team of Police IRT and Army personnel targeted and attacked the slain Pastor Cletus Egole's family on the 13th of February 2021 at about 4:30am and abducted the entire family members, including Pastor Cletus Egole (60), wife, Ifeyinwa (45), and their eight children.
“The first son of the family, Chinemeze, 25, was not at home. The invading security personnel also ran riot on their family house and Synagogue by setting them ablaze and burning them beyond recognition through the use of explosives and petrol bombs. They also returned and set a Pharmacy store belonging to the slain Pastor Cletus Egole’s wife ablaze and burnt same beyond recognition.
“The underage children of slain Pastor Cletus Egole were also abducted and taken into custody where they were tortured, starved, traumatized and held for seven days, after which they were ordered to be reporting to the police station on daily basis. Since then and after the release of the tortured and traumatized Egole’s children, they have returned home and become homeless-with no shelter, clothes or food for them.”
The group disclosed how Police IRT framed and killed Pastors Cletus and Chinedu Egole in their custody.
It said, “The Police and Army had upon the mass arrest of Pastor Cletus Nwachukwu Egole, his wife, Ifeyinwa and their eight children accused them of 'being related to and shielding their first son, Chinemeze, 25, a member of IPOB who killed some security personnel in Dec 2020'.
“The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Abuja later twisted same and accused Pastor Cletus Egole of 'being one of the masterminds of various attacks on security personnel in different parts of the Southeast', that he 'provided spiritual cover, his house and farmland for members of his gang to plan their nefarious operations.'”
Intersociety, therefore, called on international organisations to get justice for the oppressed family and many others being allegedly harassed by the Nigerian government.
“The congregated and aggregated attention of the United Nations, especially its bodies responsible against arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and other inhuman treatments or punishment and extrajudicial and unlawful killings or executions as well as the UK, US and Canada governments and the European Union and international rights bodies is drawn and called to intervene as a matter of extreme urgency and importance.
“The above-named respected international governments and inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations and others are prayed to mount intensive and sustained pressure on Nigerian Government and leaderships of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army to investigate the conduct atrocities speedily and conclusively to ensure their discontinuation and fish out and punitively punish their perpetrators.
“The Nigerian Government must be prevailed upon to free the Egoles including Mrs Ifeyinwa Egole who has been detained since February and discontinue all forms of persecution and terrorization of all the children of the Egole Family, numbering nineteen and other relatives. The death in custody of Madam Ifeyinwa’s husband and her husband’s youngest brother including their slain bodies’ whereabouts must also be disclosed. The Police IRT and the Nigerian Army must be further compelled to fetch dead or alive the disappeared two other senior members of the Egole Family: Eugene and Chinemeze.”
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A socio-political group, Southern and Middle Belt Alliance (SAMBA), has demanded the immediate eviction of Fulanis from 102 communities in Plateau State.
SAMBA has also asked Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong to recover 102 communities allegedly annexed by armed Fulani herdsmen in the state.
Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong.
SAMBA, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Rwang Pam Jnr. on Sunday, decried what it called "the continuing invasion of Plateau communities by Fulani militia since 2001".
"Government should uphold justice for the people of the state who have suffered from Fulani land grabbing and other crimes for many years," he said.
SAMBA claimed that four local government areas of Barikin-Ladi, Bokkos, Riyom and Bassa were the worst affected by the activities of Fulani militia, which started in 2001.
The group said it is saddened by the development in Plateau State consequent upon which it threw its full weight behind a petition submitted to the Plateau State governor on November 26, 2021.
Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria (ECCVN) and other associations namely Atakar Development Association (IDA), Berom Educational and Cultural Organization (BECO), Irigwe Development Association (IDA) and Ron Kunlere Development Association (RKDA) have petitioned the governor, anchoring it on the state's Anti-Land Grabbing Law.
One hundred and two communities were listed in the petition as having been taken over by armed Fulani militia in the state.
SAMBA argued, "It is therefore imperative for the state government under the leadership of Governor Simon Lalong to act as a matter of urgency by declaring a state of emergency on the recovery of those lands.
"The governor must issue an express order of evacuation of all illegal occupants and users of lands, dams, ponds, streams, homes, and other properties; because peace can only reign when the issue of justice is addressed by the state government and its agencies."
The communities said to have been annexed by the Fulani militia are as follows:
