₦airaland Forum

DSVRT is a collection of professional service providers and officials that respond as a group and in a timely fashion to the various needs of domestic and sexual violence survivors by providing legal, medical, emergency assistance, Counselling and psychological and psycho social support. It is to encourage and create unprecedented level of collaboration among professionals working to end sexual and Gender Based Violence.

Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) is an organisation under Lagos state Government committed to ensuring total eradication of Sexual and Gender Based Violence in the State. Our mission is to provide sensitive services to victims of domestic and sexual violence while promoting healthy relationships as we strive to enhance our coordinated community response to domestic and sexual violence in Lagos State and indeed in Nigeria.

naptu2:
Once again, contact the Domestic/Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) in the following ways:

Website: https://lagosdsva.org/contact/

Physical address: Head Office DSVA, Novel House, Central Business District, Alausa 101233, Ikeja,

E-mail : info@lagosdsva.org

Telephone : 112, O-8000-333-333 (toll free)

Twitter: @Lagosdsva

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lagosdsva


The reason I advised that you should contact these people is that they've got lawyers, psychological counsellors and other professionals that are needed to tackle this case. They are backed by the Lagos State Government and they know how to make the police do their work. They can also provide shelter for the woman and the child if the need arises. They are your best bet.

JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED ⚖️

A Lagos State Sexual Offences & Domestic Violence Court Sentenced, 72 Year Old, David Jackson to Life Imprisonment for Defiling his Neighbour’s 12 Year Old Daughter.

His name will be registered in the Sexual Offenders Register as maintained by Lagos State.

Justice Abiola Soladoye passed the ruling after she held that the prosecution had proved the three ingredients of defilement against the convict.

Justice Soladoye, in her judgment, held that the survivor was seven years old at the time of the incident, but she was eight years old when she testified before the court and identified Jackson as a gateman in one of the houses on her street.

The prosecutor submitted that the accused committed the offence on May 16, 2022, at Oyedele Close, Ojodu, Berger in Lagos.

According to the judge: “the facts of the case were that a brother of the survivor sent her on an errand on the day of the incident and when she passed and greeted the defendant, Jackson, he dragged her inside the room and when she shouted, he used his handkerchief to cover her mouth”.

“The testimony of the survivor was clear, consistent and coherent under cross-examination.

“The second prosecution witness was a teacher who identified that the survivor was her student and she testified that one of her classmates had reported to her that the survivor was not feeling well and she was walking funnily.

“The teacher, in her evidence, said she made an inquiry and discovered that the survivor was complaining of pains on her private part and that someone had sexually assaulted her.”

Justice Soladoye also said that the teacher invited the parents of the survivor but they did not come around, hence she reported the case and the survivor was referred to the Mirabel Medical Centre in Ikeja and the medical report from the centre was forwarded to the police.

The court, in its judgment, also held that the testimony of the survivor’s father was credible and was also corroborated with the evidence of the other two prosecution witnesses.

The judge held that attempts of the convict to shy away from the charge did not hold water.

She said: ” The father of the survivor who testified identified the defendant as a security guard around his neighbourhood and said he was with his wife, who was ill in the hospital when the incident happened.

“The testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were credible, convincing, compelling and the prosecution proved the case of defilement against the defendant.

“First, the survivor was a child as she came to the court to testify, secondly the defendant had sexual intercourse with her and there was no consent as the survivor is a minor”

“The defendant is consequently found guilty as charged for the defilement of a 7-year old child contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos state 2015 and he is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.”

The judge also ordered that the name of the convict be registered in the Sexual Offences Register as maintained by the Lagos State Government.

The Lagos State Domestic & Sexual Violence Agency reiterates the State's Zero tolerance stance and insists that there is help for survivors even as we remain committed to ensuring perpetrators are held accountable for their actions.

Let's continuously break the culture of silence !

Report any case of Domestic or Sexual Violence by calling our Toll Free Line - 08000 333 333.

#LagosDSVA #JusticeforSurvivors
#SGBVNotInMyLagos

naptu2:
He has been arrested

Some people raised an alarm that an NGO in Kano had been advocating for LGBTQ rights. A lot of people flocked to the NGO's social media accounts where they saw the video of the alleged Hisbah officer.

The NGO locked all its social media account.

People tagged the Governor of Kano and other Kano Government officials. They also tagged the Presidency and famous citizens of Kano.

The Kano State Government later announced that the alleged Hisbah official had been arrested and the NGO was under investigation

"...embattled Nasir El Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State is now a partner with Atiku. Coming from Atiku’s spokesman, it is clear the fellow has no place in APC,

Nobody is "embattled" abeg. 🥱😂

You guys should have another Editorial Board meeting & await instructions from your paymasters.

Including you, the biggest compound paid fool of them all, @samomatseye. How did your useless editorial board meeting go at @TheNationNews & what were the instructions from your ogas at the top?

Brief Nigerians.

More news than rejoinder

by Sam Omatseye
July 8, 2024

I would not have bothered to acknowledge the rejoinder written by spokesman Paul Ibe to my last week’s essay on his master Atiku Abubakar.
But I decided otherwise because he, perhaps, unwittingly revealed a piece of news and confirmed my speculation in that piece: That embattled Nasir El Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State is now a partner with Atiku.

Coming from Atiku’s spokesman, it is clear the fellow has no place in APC, where he fought and dined last season. So, it is clear why he also followed Atiku’s footsteps by visiting the former president, Muhammadu Buhari.

He even visited a northern monarch and pledged his allegiance to the Adamawa fellow. This is even more potent as the APC in the State pledged their loyalty to Governor Uba Sani.

It was a feast of allegiance. Enter Speaker of the House of Representatives , Hon Tajudeen Abbas. Enter former Governor Mukhtar Yero. Enter Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi. Enter party bigwigs. Exit El Rufai. The big-mouthed man can now take shelter under the roofs of Adamawa since he is now politically homeless.

It is a season of sealed lips for him as he tries to parry attention to his over N400 billion fraud allegations and an EFCC’s sword of Damocles hangs in the clouds over his head.

It is amazing now that all his troops have fled, just like the general Sisera in the Bible.

Are they going to be accommodated under the shadow of the Adamawa chieftain, too. Pity Atiku has no powers to stop a corruption trial or to free anyone. He may be a shelter but not a refuge for El Rufai and his minions. Even his followers are not coming back to the nation yet. They are crouching abroad with their loots?

Atiku as an endangered species

BY PAUL IBE
JULY 2, 2024

Sam Omatseye’s article, brimming with vitriol and sanctimonious posturing, demands a rebuttal rooted in truth and literary eloquence. Omatseye, in his misguided zeal to malign Atiku Abubakar, reveals more about his own biases and mercenary penmanship than about the man he seeks to discredit. It is time to set the record straight and highlight the strengths of Atiku Abubakar, a statesman and an endangered species whose vision and dedication to Nigeria’s unity and progress far surpass the myopic self-interest Omatseye attributes to him.

The Chess Player and the Strategist

Omatseye derides Atiku for seeing himself as a chess player, implying a lack of humility. Yet, in the intricate game of politics, the ability to strategize and anticipate moves is paramount. Atiku’s approach is not one of vanity, but of calculated foresight and a deep understanding of Nigeria’s complex socio-political landscape. Unlike the unnamed politician, presumably Bola Tinubu, who flaunted his power with a self-deprecating quip, Atiku’s humility lies in his persistent efforts to build bridges across Nigeria’s diverse ethnic and religious divides.

Visits and Symbolism: A Misguided Allegory

Omatseye’s allegorical comparisons of Atiku’s visits to historical betrayals and sinister handshakes are a testament to his propensity for hyperbole. The handshake between Atiku and Buhari is not a clandestine plot but a public display of his commitment to national unity. Atiku’s visits are not sneaky or deceitful, like Odysseus returning in disguise, but open gestures of reconciliation and dialogue.

Misplaced Criticism of Political Alliances

Omatseye’s insinuation that Atiku’s alliances are opportunistic ignores the political realities of Nigeria. Politics, by its very nature, involves the forging of alliances (and Omatseye needs to be reminded of alliances of his paymaster that led to the formation of the APC). Atiku’s partnership with figures like Nasir el-Rufai is not a sign of duplicity, but a pragmatic effort to unite various factions for the greater good. The allegation that Atiku exploits ethnic sentiments is ironic coming from a Tinubu apologist, considering Tinubu’s notorious manipulation of ethnic and regional loyalties to consolidate power.

The North and Atiku’s Legacy

The critique that Atiku only remembers the north when seeking votes is baseless. Atiku’s investments in manufacturing, agriculture, banking, education, healthcare, and infrastructure, particularly in the north, are well-documented. The American University of Nigeria, founded by Atiku, stands as a testament to his philantrophy and commitment to providing quality education and fostering development in the region. In contrast, Tinubu’s legacy in Lagos, marred by allegations of corruption and cronyism, offers little to commend.

Poverty and Development: A Flawed Narrative

Omatseye’s selective presentation of poverty statistics in the north is a disingenuous attempt to lay the blame at Atiku’s feet. Poverty in the region is a multifaceted issue exacerbated by years of neglect by successive governments. Atiku’s efforts, though significant, cannot single-handedly rectify decades of systemic challenges. Moreover, Omatseye conveniently overlooks the socio-economic disparities that persist in Lagos, Tinubu’s stronghold, despite his years of governance.

Intellectual Posturing and Misappropriation

Omatseye’s invocation of intellectual heavyweights like Michel Foucault and Zadie Smith to critique Atiku’s appeal to northern sentiments is misplaced. Foucault’s exploration of power dynamics and Smith’s discourse on identity could equally be applied to critique Tinubu’s divisive politics. Atiku’s vision, in contrast, seeks to transcend prefabricated identities and foster a cohesive national identity.

A Dangerous Politician or a Visionary Leader?

Labeling Atiku as the most dangerous politician, second only to Peter Obi, is a gross mischaracterization. Atiku’s political career is marked by his advocacy for restructuring Nigeria, promoting decentralization, and empowering local governments. His vision for Nigeria is one of inclusive growth and sustainable development, a stark contrast to the status quo of political patronage and centralization championed by Tinubu.

In conclusion, Sam Omatseye’s article is a tapestry of half-truths and unfounded allegations woven together with the thread of bias. Atiku Abubakar’s strengths lie in his strategic acumen, his commitment to national unity, and his tangible contributions to Nigeria’s development. Omatseye’s diatribe, far from discrediting Atiku, exposes the hollowness of his own arguments and the mercenary nature of his pen. It is time for Nigerians to see through the smokescreen of political propaganda and recognize the genuine leadership and vision that Atiku Abubakar offers. As Ralph Waldo Emerson aptly said, “A great man is always willing to be little,” and it is in this spirit of humble service that Atiku seeks to lead Nigeria to a brighter future.

Ibe is a Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria (1999-2007) and Presidential candidate of the PDP (2023).

The Visitors

by Sam Omatseye
July 1, 2024

Atiku Abubakar looks at himself in the mirror and sees a chess player.

He may not be a certain politician who did so when he was governor and belted out a song of self-praise, to wit: “I am ugly but I am governor and the most powerful man in this state.” I spare the world his name and state.

He, at least, exercised a sense of self-scrutiny and physical realism to chasten himself.

Atiku lacks such self-deprecating humility.

But he, of all days, chose a season of holy ferment to play a politics of visitation.

As philosopher David Hume noted: “The corruption of the best produces the worst.”

One can muse on visits and their imports.

We know of arrivals of pesky in-laws and cold handshakes and placid smiles.

The famous movie, Look who’s coming for Dinner with Sidney Poitier reverses that sentiment.

The visit of coup plotters, like Buhari had when he was head of state.

A handshake of grudges like the one between Yasser Arafat and Ehud Barak that betokened blood and death. Between Hitler and Neville Chamberlain, after which Hitler mocked: “Our enemies are tiny little worms. I saw them the other day at Munich.” Or the bearhug of Russian diplomat Andrei Gromyko in the embers of the Cold War. Richard Nixon rebuffed Brezhnev’s hugs. He preferred handshakes. Or the handshake between Tinubu and Atiku during the 2023 election campaign at a chance meeting where both had few words to exchange.

Tinubu turned it into a fashion moment adjusting something on his rivals. Sometimes visits are sneaky, like Odysseus, who returned from the Trojan War to see a flock of men trying to take his wife, Penelope. Atiku was not the only visitor. Nasir El-Rufai also came calling, a few days before he decided to go to court to challenge an avalanche of corruption charges. But beware of visits under the cover of God. We had the visits of the three wise men at the birth of Christ, and it is still a liturgical controversy today whether they are of God or of the enemy.

In his famous poem, T.S. Eliot calls it a “hard journey” in his Journey of the Magi. So, what are we to make of that visit. Shehu Sani put it in context. He described it as a “façade” and “surreptitiously a new attempt to build a strong northern alliance using ex-President Buhari as a rallying point to challenge and evict President Tinubu’s government in 2027.”

He did not end his note without a prophecy. He said the “project will eventually kiss the dust.”

He says they want to exploit Buhari’s folksy charm in the north and rally his mass following. Hence, I say the man has no sense of a real chess player.

He wanted to play on the optics of a handshake to cast himself as a provocateur of the talakawa. He has invoked, without knowing it, a story of tribal prejudice during the 2023 election campaign.

He stirred up the “our own is our own” mantra after he told the Arewa Council that the north should vote for their son. He forgets two things. One, that he cannot re-evoke the PDP primary strategy where he turned the north into a political horse trading. He took over Tambuwal’s vote and entrenched himself as the northern candidate. Two, his visit to Buhari reignites the allegation that the former president’s cabal were working for Atiku. That fueled the Nasir El Rufai’s rhetoric to confirm Tinubu’s camp’s charge that some elements in Buhari government wanted to sabotage his party’s candidacy. Does this visit not whip up that charge? Buhari will have, of course, to prove again that he is a party man, not an ethnic man. In the last polls, he had to brandish his voter’s card just to advertise his loyalty. Of course, Buhari will be forced to do same this time if the Atiku men want to play up the ethnic card. Atiku only remembers the north when he wants their vote. The point has ben made over and over as to what he has done to help the north as a big man of influence and wealth. His Adamawa State is one of the worst in development indices. The north has never done well. Atiku cohabits with southern elite where he makes wealth all the time except when he wants power. He is the most cynical politician of this generation. The second, of course, is El Rufai, who exposed Atiku’s ethno-regional chicaneries last year but he is in bed with him today. In the north, according to all researches including that of Redline and Oxford, most of the states have over 50 percent of citizens living below poverty line. In the northwest, in the last eight years, between 35 and 40 percent and in some states between 50 and 75 percent of its citizens were living below poverty line. These surveys covered between 2014 and 2023. Where was Atiku if not ensconced in his Dubai luxury rampart? For El Rufai, his Kaduna was 55 percent below poverty level when he could have done better with over N400 billion no one can account for. Yet, the Tinubu administration has appointed ministers in the north in the most critical part of their needs. Vice President Kashim Shettima made this assertion in the presence of Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila. Vice President Shettima asserted that for insecurity, President Tinubu appointed two defence ministers from the north, Abubabakar Badaru and Bello Matawalle, Chief of defence staff Gen. Christopher Musa. But there is more. Few have heard of the Paluka initiative, a non-kinetic programme, amounting to hundreds of billions of naira, that focuses on pursuing development in a suite of states like Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Bauchi, Sokoto, etc. It is to be pursued by ministers of health, defence, economic planning, housing, agriculture. The ministers of health and agriculture are also from the north. These ministers have done little to serve as the story tellers of their mandates, and should have been the ones to tackle Atiku in his megalomaniac visitations. For instance, why has the agricultural minister not shown how the federal government has devoted about N300 billion so far in that sector in the area of largescale farming, fertilisers, etc.? With his appeal to northern sentiments, Atiku forgets that a narrative of such nature projects the north in what French thinker Michel Foucault sees as prefabricated identities, a people without dynamic or conscience to be corralled at will towards unthinking loyalty. Writers and thinkers like Zadie Smith and Charles Taylor have mused over how such identities can endanger and problematize civilization. The last election exposed the futility of such automatic fanaticism as the north had hefty votes for the APC candidate. As Shehu Sani asserts, Atiku wants to privilege prejudice over national cohesion.

He is the most dangerous politician in the country, followed by Peter Obi.

The Atiku visit reminds one of Friedrich Durrenmatt, one of Europe’s best playwrights’ masterpiece, The Visit, in which a native and now wealthy lady returns to her town and turns the whole community upside down. Atiku may want to read that play, if he reads.

bestman09:
This is a very good news. Our policemen tried by infiltrating the gang (as I heard) without one of them sabotaging the plan because of selfish interest.

And it amazes me how people can gather and watch when there's an exchange of gun fight between policemen and criminals.

No fear of stray bullets?

Investigation Kwamatee: Elrufa’i mismanaged 423bn. We have evidence.

Media: We knew it. That man is evil. Now he should go and clear himself in court.

Elrufa’i: Waits small for EFCC or Court to call him but them no get recharge card. And Kwamatee too don enter voice mail😆

Elrufa’i: Now went to court to make things easier for kwamatee to prove their claim.

Kwamatee: We are not prepared. Our documents are not ready. We are still spiral binding the investigation report🥴

Judge sitting at chair:

Earlier today, after the press conference held by the cabinet members of Kaduna State between 2015-2023.

The truth must prevail!

Wallahi, these compound fools have started something they can't finish. Whoever their backers are, wherever they are from, we are ready & this is only just the beginning. Every single allegation shall be debunked & every single bastard must prove how Mallam @elrufai stole 423BN.

I can imagine your pain, but there's no harm in explaining. He should also come forward with details on how our resources were spent.

And that's what he's doing.

Former cabinet members in the administration of Nasir el-Rufai, the ex-governor of Kaduna, have reacted to the probe of their principal by the state house of assembly.

In a statement on Tuesday, eight former commissioners under the el-Rufai administration described the probe as an “attempt to inflict maximum reputational damage on certain selected members of the Kaduna State Executive Council, Class of 2015-2023”.

On March 30, Uba Sani, the incumbent governor of Kaduna, said his administration inherited a debt of $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities from the el-Rufai administration.

He said the huge debt burden is eating deep into the state’s share of the monthly federation allocation.

Subsequently, the state’s assembly set up a committee to probe the finances of Kaduna under the former administration.

On June 5, the Kaduna assembly recommended the probe of el-Rufai over the allegation of public funds diversion and money laundering.

The assembly made the recommendation after a report by the ad hoc committee.

However, the former cabinet members said the committee’s report “oozes malice and patent unfairness” toward the administration of the former governor.

The former cabinet members include Jafaru Sani, commissioner for education; Hafsat Baba, commissioner for human services and social development; Thomas Gyang, commissioner for public works and infrastructure, planning, and budget; Bashir Saidu, commissioner for finance; Ibrahim Husaini, commissioner for agriculture and environment; Aisha Dikko, commissioner for justice; Fausat Ibikunle, commissioner for housing and urban development; and Idris Nyam, former commissioner for business, innovation, and technology.

They said there is a dissonance between the recommendations of the assembly and the testimonies of the ad-hoc committee.

The ex-cabinet members also faulted discrepancies in the figures mentioned in the ad committee’s report, adding that “scrutiny of the report easily shows that the ad-hoc committee is inconsistent.”

“Why would the House of Assembly be unable to officially release the report to persons who were summoned by its ad-hoc committee, which took their testimonies and then proceeded to write baseless recommendations?” the statement reads.

“As senior officials in the El-Rufai Administration, which served the people of Kaduna State between May 2015 and May 2023, we restate our pride in the dedication and integrity of our service.

“We have previously described the report circulating on social media as an unprofessional document, tainted by bias, exhibiting no serious interest in establishing facts.

“It is apparent that the report is riddled with inaccuracies and instances of falsification and misrepresentation of the testimonies provided by invited officials.

“There is a dissonance between its recommendations and the testimonies the ad-hoc committee heard.

“It bears restating that its conclusions seem to have been decided beforehand and were insulated from the facts.”

GloriousGbola:
Or is this one of the ways he finances his operations 🤔

zed7:
I've heard this news and it's quite impressive. I'm however surprised that no pictures or videos of the killed kidnappers.

You try not to kill all, you try to get one or two alive for intelligence gathering. Surely, these are not the last kidnappers in Lagos.

Anyway, very commendable by the Nigerian police, who know how to work when they want to.