Boy, 19, nabbed for raping 9-year-old girl in Kwara

In Kwara State, one Jamiu Akande has been apprehended for allegedly defiling a nine-year-old girl.

The incident happened at the Pakata Area, Ilorin in Ilorin West Local Government Area of the state.

19-year-old Akande was apprehended by the Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The suspect was said to have started having carnal knowledge of the victim late last year and had been having constant sex with her.

The Public Relations Officer of NSCDC, Ayoola Michael ASC, confirmed the incident.

He said the suspect, who is a regular visitor to Babareke house in Ipata Oloje, started assaulting her sexually on December 1, 2023.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect frequently visited the victim’s residence under the guise of seeing his friend, thereby gaining access to the victim.

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“He lured the victim to an uncompleted building on December 1, 2023, and sexually assaulted her. Subsequently, on April 16, 2024, he sent her to buy bread for him and then led her to a dilapidated building where he subjected her to additional sexual abuse.

“The victim disclosed that the suspect had been sexually assaulting her since December 2023”, the NSCDC said.

He disclosed that on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at approximately 20:30hrs, the case was reported to the gender unit of the command by Alhaja Yusuf Mariam Joke, The Director of Child Ministry of Woman Affairs, following a distress call from Babareke House, Ipata Oloje Area in Ilorin.

“Without delay, the command swiftly responded and apprehended the suspect after painstaking efforts by officers of the Command,” he said.

Ayoola said that the suspect had confessed to the crime and would be charged to a court of competent jurisdiction for onward prosecution.

The state commandant of the NSCDC, Mohammed Umar, expressed great dismay at the alarming surge in cases of rape and defilement of minors, stressing that those who commit such awful acts would be punished severely.

He urged parents and guardians to remain watchful and ensure that their children are always near them.

Boy, 19, nabbed for raping 9-year-old girl in Kwara

16 killed as Borno bus runs over ISWAP explosives

No fewer than 16 persons were feared dead and 20 others injured when a commercial vehicle plying the Baga-Kukawa Road in the Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State drove over an Improvised Explosives Device suspected to have been planted by ISWAP terrorists.

Credible military intelligence sources told  Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in the Lake Chad region, that the incident occurred on Wednesday, April 17.

Although Zagazola Makama reported 10 feared dead, credible sources told The PUNCH they were no fewer than 16.

The spokesman for the 7 Division, Lt. Col. Ajemusu Jingina, said, “I will not comment on the incident, as the location falls under the jurisdiction of the Multi-National Joint Task Force, which is headquartered in Ndjamena, Chad Republic.”

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However, a resident of Baga, Bukar Wakil, told The PUNCH on the phone, “We heard that the IED was planted with the intent of killing troops, but the unfortunate commercial vehicle drove over it before any military vehicle did, killing about 16 people and injuring about 20, mainly passers-by.”

Edo commissioner accused of disrespect loses chieftaincy title

Edo State Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Uyi Oduwa-Malaka, has been stripped of her chieftaincy title, Uzoyare of Ozalla Kingdom.

She was accused of misconduct and disrespecting King Nathaniel Omogbai, Okpamen the IX, Onotare of Ozalla Kingdom in the Owan West Local Government Area.

The commissioner specifically lost her title for reportedly asking the king to meet her in the car when she drove into the palace on April 12, 2024.

A statement by the Palace spokesman, Dr. Osumah Obaze, in Benin City, said the Onotare ordered the immediate revocation of her title to serve as a deterrent to other people with the intention of desecrating the throne.

The statement added that another title, Ozemevboya of Ozalla Kingdom, given to George Ohioma was revoked and now an exclusive preserve of “Ozalla freeborns.”

The statement read in part, “Her legion of offences, among others, include openly insulting the Onotare and for not paying obeisance to the Onotare of Ozalla on April 13, 2024, during Ivbamen festival in the presence of the Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, and Chairman, Owan West Local Government of the state, Mr Dickson Ahonsi, and for openly boasting to remove the traditional ruler from office.

“In the same vein, the Onotare of Ozalla, His Royal Highest Nathaniel Omogbai also revoked the honorary chieftaincy title, Ozemevboya of Ozalla Kingdom, conferred on George Ohioma aka Armani for openly insulting and physically assaulting the Onotare of Ozalla and Secretary to the Onotare, Mr. Ehichioya Ujuanbi in the presence of the Speaker to Edo State House of Assembly, Agbebaku.”