₦airaland Forum

A Makurdi Upper Area Court on Monday remanded a senior lecturer at the Department of Catering and Hotel Management, Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, for allegedly defiling his 13-year-old housemaid.

The accused, Andrew Ogbuja, who was arrested last Friday, pleaded with the judge to temper justice with mercy and grant him bail to enable him to go back home and resolve the matter amicably.

The accused, who spoke through his counsel, David Ojile, promised to take full responsibility for the treatment of the victim, saying it was a family affair.

But the judge, Justice S. D. Kwen, rejected the plea and remanded the lecturer at the Makurdi Federal Prison.

The victim, a JSS 1 pupil of the Federal Government College, Gboko, said her guardian’s son, Victor, was the first to rape her in 2013.


She said, “It all started in 2013 when I turned five years old and went to live with my mother’s sister in Ugbokolo because there was no school in my village.

“So, when l was eight years old, the son started having sex with me and when the sister caught him, she reported him to their father, who scolded him. From there, the father also started doing the same thing by sleeping with me and l told my mother. My mother told my elder sister, who took me to Makurdi for checkup.

“Last year September, l fell ill and was taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, where l spent two months and five days. In the hospital, they checked me and discovered that what my aunt’s son and his father did to me affected me and was responsible for my condition.

“My mother went to confront my aunt and the husband, but they did not take the matter seriously. I want my health back.”

The police prosecutor, Inspector Patrick Sunday, said on August 8, 2018, around 12pm, one Rose Abah, of Ogene Amadu Edumoga, in the Okpokwu area of Benue State, reported the matter at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.

He said during police investigation, Andrew was arrested for committing the offence, adding that Victor was at large.

Sunday said the offence was contrary to sections 97 and 284 of the Penal Code, Law of Benue State, 2004.

However, when the case was mentioned, no plea was taken because the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the matter.

The Judge, S. D. Kwen, refused the accused person bail and remanded him in custody pending the determination of the matter.

The case was adjourned till September 24, 2018.

The founder of Restorer of PathCare Foundation, Enewa Soo, said the case was reported to her through the International Federation of Women Lawyers.

She lamented that the victim had been emotionally and mentally depressed since the incident and called on parents to be wary of those they leave their children with.

A suspected kidnapper whose identity has yet to be confirmed by the Ondo State Police Command was still sleeping six days after he was taken to the police custody.

The suspect was arrested by men of the command on Sunday as he and three other members of his gang attempted to kidnap a pharmaceutical shop owner in Owo town.

According to the police, the three-man gang stormed the shop with guns with the intention to kidnap the owner, but the victim raised the alarm and escaped through the back door.

The police explained that the suspect tried to escape on a motorcycle but stumbled while he was trying to ride it. He reportedly snatched the motorcycle from a customer of the shop owner.

The other members of the gang were said to have taken to their heels.

The police stated that a 400mg tablet of Tramadol was recovered from the pocket of the sleeping suspect which raised the suspicion that he must have taken the drug before he went for the operation.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Femi Joseph, who spoke to our correspondent on Friday, said the suspect had yet to wake up.

He said, “As of today (Friday), the suspect had yet to wake up. Maybe he took too much of the drug, that is why he is still sleeping. We have tried all we could to make him regain his consciousness to no avail.

“However, we are still watching him to find out if he is pretending. We are with him and he would face the music no matter how long he is unconscious.”

No fewer than 10 people died in an accident on the Kaduna-Kano Expressway on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the accident occurred near the Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, Kaduna State, around 5.30am.

The state Head of Public Enlightenment, Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Idris Yahaya, confirmed the incident in a statement.

Yahaya said, “The accident involved three vehicles: a luxury bus, marked GDD361YE, a car, marked SGR57XA, and an articulated vehicle, marked LND246XE.

“There were 48 persons in the three vehicles. Nine people were burnt to death and one woman died in the hospital, while 31 persons were injured.

“The driver of the luxury bus is receiving treatment at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika, Zaria.”

The FRSC commander said the injured persons were also receiving treatment at ABUTH, while the bodies of the dead had been deposited at the same hospital.

Zubairu warned long-distance drivers to stretch their legs by stopping and walking around at intervals of four hours.

“Drivers should also drive with care, especially in this rainy season. They should ensure that their tyres are good enough for a long journey as driving with smooth and fairly-used tyres is very dangerous,’’ he said.

Very sad day. The loss of lives in an accident like today is very painful. My prayers are with everyone affected by this tragedy.