metro
Expose attackers of Ajaero, railway workers demand, threaten showdown
Expose attackers of Ajaero, railway workers demand, threaten showdown
The Nigerian railway workers have threatened a war over the recent assault on the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr Joe Ajaero.
The NUR in a statement on Thursday called on the government and the police to expose the attackers or face a showdown.
Ajero along with some labour leaders was on Wednesday attacked by hoodlums suspected to be sponsored. He was beaten black and blue and later arrested by the police.
He was reportedly leading a workers’ protest in Owerri, Imo State capital, over alleged anti-labour activities of the state government when he was attacked.
Although the police later said Ajaero was only taken into protective custody and not arrested, the labour leader who had swollen face had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.
Action barbaric
Reacting to the incident, the Nigeria Union of Railway Workers (NUR) described the action as barbaric and demand immediate unearthing of those behind it.
The union in a statement on Thursday by its Secretary General, Comrade Segun Esan, alleged the attack was sponsored by the Imo State Government.
It said the assault on Ajaero was unwarranted, adding that railway workers were ready to fully participate in any action that might be directed by the NLC in the coming days in response to the attack.
Esan, therefore, called on the Federal Government, Imo State governments and the Imo State Police Command to unravel all the sponsored thugs that perpetrated the assault on the number one worker in the country.
He insisted that the attack must not be allowed to stand to prevent recurrence in the future.
The gathering lawful
According to Esan, the gathering by the workers for the purpose of peacefully protesting against acts of injustice was a legitimate right that does not in any way contravene any known law or the constitution of Nigeria, especially when all due diligence had been followed.
The NUR statement
He said, “It therefore constitutes and arrant travesty of justice, rationality and democratic ethos for any person or group of persons, no matter how highly placed, to violate the fundamental human rights and collective sensibilities of the Nigerian workers by kidnapping, assaulting and eventually detaining Comrade Joe Ajaero in material particular and other law abiding Nigerian workers in general.
“It is indeed a national shame that Ajaero who is the most significant person in the rank of Nigerian workers that embodies the very constitutional right of protest in this country could be treated like a common criminal only for trying to protect the rights, welfare, and wellbeing of the workers of Imo State who have been grossly violated and treated ignominiously by the government of Imo State.
“We therefore call on the Federal Government, Imo State Government and, of course, the Imo State Police Command to unravel all the hands and the sponsored thugs that perpetrated this absurdity against Nigerian workers if similar heinous crime should be prevented from recurring in our polity. This also will assuage the Nigerian workers and bring back some level of trust and confidence in the Police and other national security apparati.”
The attack
Thugs had on Thursday descended on labour leaders and other protesters in Imo State, smashing vehicles, inflicting injuries and dispossessing handsets, money, ATM cards among other valuables from labour leaders and others that had gathered at the NLC state secretariat to begin the scheduled protest over pending labour issues.
The NLC President, other national leaders of NLC and their Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart, were at the State Secretariat in Owerri to begin the planned protest ahead of strike Thursday over backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances among others perceived sins of Imo State government against workers in the state.
metro
Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos
Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos
One Onyeka Ubaka has been sentenced to four years imprisonment for sexual assault and maltreatment of a 16-year-old girl in Lagos State.
He was convicted and sentenced by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday.
Justice Rahmon Oshodi convicted him after he pleaded guilty to the two amended charges brought against him by the Lagos State Government.
Ubaka was initially arraigned on January 12, 2024, and was initially charged with defilement through one-count information filed on October 26, 2023, to which he pleaded not guilty.
In the court proceedings, the prosecution counsel, B. E. Okeowo, presented a single witness, the prosecutrix, whose testimony proved particularly significant in establishing the case against the defendant. The prosecutrix who provided a testimony, identified the defendant as her boyfriend and disclosed that she was 16 years old in 2023 and that her relationship with the defendant began in her mother’s shop.
The victim testified to the court that the defendant had multiple instances of sexual intercourse with her, which resulted in pregnancy and childbirth.
“The defendant is the father of my child. He impregnated me, and the child is five months old.”
According to PUNCH, the victim, during cross-examination, gave testimony evidence that incriminate the defendant.
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In one instance, she disclosed that the defendant took her to a bar, gave her yogurt to drink, and after she drank it, she lost consciousness. She further disclosed that she woke up in a hotel room and realised that the defendant had non-consensual sex with her and told her to keep the incident a secret.
At the court proceeding on Tuesday, Justice Oshodi disclosed to the court that the prosecution counsel, B. E. Okeowo, had informed the court that the parties had entered a plea and sentence agreement dated and filed on November 25, 2024. The court then charged and convicted the defendant on the amended charge of indecent acts and sexual assault to which the defendant pleaded guilty.
Justice Ramon, in his judgment, stated that the prosecution had established beyond a reasonable doubt the charges brought against the defendant, and found the defendant guilty of indecent act and sexual assault.
“From the evidence presented by the prosecution, I am satisfied that the essential elements of indecent acts and sexual assault have been established. There is an abundance of evidence to support this conclusion. The defendant’s guilty plea further justifies his conviction for the offences contained in the amended information.
“Therefore, I find the defendant guilty and convict him under Sections 134 and 263 of the Criminal Law Supra”, he ruled.
When asked what he had to say, the defendant begged the court to temper justice with mercy.
“Temper justice with mercy so that I will take care of my responsibility,” he appealed.
It is gathered that the defendant’s father had paid the sum of N300,000 and had undertaken to sponsor the prosecutrix first degree and take full responsibility for the child until the child is eight years old.
The prosecution counsel in her final statement asked the court to convict the defendant according to the plea bargain.
“We ask that the convict be sentenced according to the plea bargain agreement starting from the day of remand, March 23, 2023, and this will pass a message to society that sexual offenders are not tolerated in our society.
“We also ask that the name of the convict be registered in the Sexual Offenders Register”, Okeowo said.
Justice Oshodi then found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to four years imprisonment.
Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos
metro
Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers
Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers
CSP Adetayo Akerele, Chairman of Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit, announced the arrest of 53 suspected criminals in Gowon Estate.
Akerele said this operation aimed to boost safety, security, and environmental decorum in the area.
“The agency apprehended drug peddlers, addicts; miscreants; street urchins; illegal street traders and people of shady business dealings.
“We found various illicit drugs and narcotics, including Indian hemp, codeine syrup, and colorado,” Akerele said.
The operation brings relief to residents of Gowon Estate, Ipaja, Egbeda, Idimu, and surrounding areas affected by these criminals.
“Residents have endured trauma and safety risks due to these unauthorized squatters.
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The taskforce is committed to safeguarding residents and ridding the metropolis of individuals preying on law-abiding citizens,” Akerele said.
The agency will monitor other criminal hideouts, blackspots, and abandoned properties.
“This vigilance aims to deter individuals with sinister motives.
“These arrests demonstrate our determination to maintain a safe environment.
“We will hold every individual involved in these illegal practices accountable,” Akerele said.
The 53 suspects will face charges for narcotics-related offenses.
Residents are urged to report suspicious activities through the “See Something, Say Something” initiative.
Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers
metro
Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada
Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday returned 21 luxury vehicles worth over N1.8 billion to Canada after they were stolen and smuggled into Nigeria by a criminal syndicate.
Speaking to Newsman in Lagos, Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, emphasized the seriousness of the growing trade in stolen vehicles and its impact on Nigeria’s economy and security.
According to Adeniyi, Nigeria has become a significant hub for stolen vehicles in West Africa, with syndicates exploiting the country’s ports and borders to traffic vehicles from regions such as Europe, North America, and South America.
He highlighted data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicating that only 54% of stolen vehicles were recovered between 2013 and 2015, illustrating the scale of the problem.
“This trend undermines our legitimate automotive market, strains our security infrastructure, and damages Nigeria’s international reputation,” Adeniyi said.
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He further noted that the illegal trade affects President Tinubu’s economic reforms, which aim to position Nigeria as a trusted hub for international commerce.
To combat this challenge, Adeniyi disclosed that the NCS launched Operation Hot Wheels, a collaborative initiative involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Canadian authorities, and international law enforcement agencies. The operation focused on intelligence sharing, surveillance, and interdiction to disrupt vehicle trafficking networks.
Adeniyi further disclosed that the operation uncovered sophisticated smuggling techniques, including false cargo declarations and containerized shipments used to conceal stolen vehicles.
During one operation, officers intercepted a container at Onne Port in Rivers State declared to contain used vehicles and spare parts. A physical examination revealed three undeclared 2021 Toyota Highlanders, two of which were confirmed stolen from Canada.
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