Foreign
Kemi Badenoch calls for fresh probe into ‘rape gangs scandal’ in UK
Nigerian-born Kemi Badenoch, leader of the British opposition Conservative Party, has called for a comprehensive inquiry to uncover those who turned a blind eye to the grooming gangs responsible for the rape of thousands of girls in the UK.
In a strongly-worded article, Badenoch expressed outrage, stating, “Britain has witnessed the mass grooming of thousands of the most vulnerable white working-class girls – children – by gangs of men, many of Pakistani heritage. This was rape on an industrial scale.”
Badenoch condemned the systemic failures that allowed the abuse to persist, saying, “Shockingly, it was a scandal made possible by the collusion and cover-ups of officials, the police and politicians who were more concerned about community relations than about victims and their families.”
She emphasised the racial aspect of the crimes, noting, “The fact that perpetrators of this sexual violence appeared to have deliberately picked victims because they were white – and not from their own
community or religious background – must not be ignored. Previous inquiries have failed to examine this. It’s for society and the state to address the issue, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.”
Detailing the victims’ harrowing experiences, Badenoch said, *“The testimonies of the victims are hard to read. Girls being forced into barbaric sexual acts. Raped by multiple men at the same time or one after the other. Punished by grotesque sexual violence when they resisted.
“Children were identified as targets because of their backgrounds and experienced years of systematic abuse from adult men whose communities in some cases even helped protect them. Thousands of girls’ lives have been damaged or destroyed. Worse still, this was perpetrated not in one rotten borough by a few rotten individuals, but across the nation.”
She highlighted disturbing examples of complicity, including social workers attending a “Nikah,” an Islamic wedding ceremony between an abuser and his victim.
She also recounted incidents where authorities prioritized optics over justice, saying, “Of councils and a police chief collaborating to keep the extent of the child rape scandal out of the headlines for fear of inflaming community relations or being called racist. And of academics and charity workers drafting obfuscatory reports to conceal the true scale of the problem. This can never be allowed to happen again.”
Badenoch acknowledged the efforts of individuals who resisted systemic failures, stating, “A number of heroes fought a lonely battle against not only a conspiracy of silence but active hostility that victims faced from officialdom. Failing councils were taken over, like Rotherham in 2015. Grooming gang members were prosecuted. The Grooming Gang Taskforce, launched in April 2023, made over 500 arrests in its first year.”
However, she stressed that more needs to be done to hold institutions accountable, saying, “We still need to know the extent to which institutions like the police, prosecutors, local government and social services are compromised by wrong-headed political correctness, and even self-interest. Only then can we have any hope of upholding our laws and culture, and preventing this scale of abuse ever again.”
Badenoch called for a national inquiry with broad investigative powers, asserting, “The inquiry I want to see should start by considering the likely racial or religious motivation of these crimes. It should identify all of the institutions and bodies that failed. It should also identify those individuals who facilitated or ignored these crimes so they can be removed from their roles.”
She concluded with a firm message: “No lenience should be shown to those who rape and exploit children, nor can we tolerate those who protect predators.”
United States President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran has agreed to hand over its remaining stockpile of enriched uranium and abandon ambitions for a nuclear weapon, describing negotiations as being on the verge of a major breakthrough.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday before departing for Las Vegas, Trump said: “We’re very close to making a deal with Iran. We had to make sure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon… They’ve totally agreed to that. They’ve agreed to almost everything.”
He added that Iran had consented to return its enriched uranium, which he has repeatedly called “nuclear dust”, material believed to be buried deep underground following earlier U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
“They’ve agreed to give us back the nuclear dust,” Trump stated. He also suggested that the next round of talks could take place over the weekend and expressed uncertainty about whether the current fragile ceasefire would need extension.
The comments come amid efforts to end six weeks of conflict in the Middle East that has disrupted global energy supplies and raised fears over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for oil exports.
However, Iran has not publicly confirmed Trump’s assertions. Multiple reports indicate that Tehran has previously pushed back against similar claims, describing them as exaggerated.
Recent direct talks in Islamabad on April 11-12 collapsed without agreement, with core disputes remaining over the future of uranium enrichment inside Iran and the removal of existing stockpiles.
The White House has been discussing a possible second round of negotiations in Pakistan, with officials expressing optimism.
A U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in place, adding pressure on Tehran.
Analysts caution that any final deal would require strict verification mechanisms, especially given the deeply buried nature of the material in question.
For Nigeria and other oil-producing nations, progress toward de-escalation could help stabilise crude prices, which have spiked due to fears of prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.
A lasting agreement might also open the door for sanctions relief on Iran, potentially shifting global energy dynamics.
Trump has maintained that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is a non-negotiable red line, while offering the prospect of broader regional stability in return for Iranian concessions.
No immediate reaction from Iranian officials was available as of press time. Further developments are expected in the coming days as diplomatic channels continue.
A devastating shooting at a middle school in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday has left at least four people dead and 20 others wounded. The incident, which occurred in the province of Kahramanmaras, marks a harrowing second day of educational violence in the region, an anomaly in a country where school shootings are exceedingly rare.
The local governor, Mukerrem Unluer, confirmed to reporters that the fatalities included three pupils and one teacher. The perpetrator, identified as an eighth-grade student at the school, also died during the attack.
According to Governor Unluer, the assailant, typically aged 13 or 14 arrived at the institution concealing an arsenal within his backpack. The weapons, which authorities believe belonged to his father, a retired police officer, included five firearms and seven ammunition magazines.
“An eighth-grade student entered two classrooms occupied by fifth-grade students and opened fire indiscriminately,” Governor Unluer stated. The victims in the fifth grade are generally between the ages of 10 and 11.
The Governor further disclosed that four of the wounded are currently in critical condition and are undergoing emergency surgery.
Television footage from the site depicted a harrowing scene as police cordoned off the school gates while frantic crowds gathered nearby. Ambulances were seen transporting at least two victims from the premises as emergency services worked to stabilise the survivors.
The Justice Minister, Akin Gurlek, announced via the social media platform X that a formal investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the massacre. Authorities are expected to scrutinise how the minor gained access to his father’s service weapons.
This tragedy follows a similar incident on Tuesday in the neighbouring province of Sanliurfa, where a former student opened fire at a school, wounding 16 individuals including staff and pupils before taking his own life.
The back-to-back attacks have sent shockwaves through the Turkish nation, prompting urgent discussions regarding firearm security and the safety of academic environments.
Prime Minister of Hungary Péter Magyar on Monday scolded Viktor Orbán for not paying attention to the problems affecting Hungarians while focusing on issues in other countries.
In a speech after the electoral victory, Magyar assured his administration would refrain from interfering in the domestic affairs of other nations, urging foreign governments to do the same.
The prime minister noted that Orbán played a five-dimensional chess game, saying the attitude was probably one of the reasons for his defeat at the polls.
According to Magyar, his predecessor often talked about Ukraine, Russia, Iran, the Iranian Shah, the Iranian Ayatollah, and the United States presidential election.
“If he had been woken from his sleep, he would have said that he won the US presidential election, not Donald Trump,” the PM mocked.
Magyar criticized the Kremlin and advised Europe to prepare to protect itself. “The Russian state is a security risk,” he declared, recalling Hungary “felt the Russian bear before.”
The leader vowed his government will do “everything for diversification” of Hungary and Russia, but clarified that Budapest will not “decouple” relations with Moscow.
The PM, however, expressed opposition to Ukraine’s accelerated accession to the EU: “It is absolutely absurd for a country at war to be admitted to the European Union.”
Magyar also said he will not initiate a phone conversation with President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin but will respond if the leaders or their officials reach out.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday declined a detailed response to Magyar’s comment that he will not engage in negotiations with Russia
“We are ready to build relations with the new government,” the diplomat told reporters. “Much will depend on how it defines and pursues its national interests.”
Just in: Tinubu assents 2026 Appropriation Bill, 2025 Budget Extension
BREAKING: Popular sports analystt, Okomi is dead
BREAKING: JAMB set to release first batch of 2026 UTME results today
-
Economy21 hours agoNigerian stocks rally again as investors gain N1.66tn, market cap crosses N136tn
-
News16 hours agoJust in: Ex-Senate president, Saraki, others to face death penalty charges
-
News21 hours agoI Am Ready For 2027 – President Tinubu Declares
-
News21 hours agoSenator Abdulaziz Yari Accused of Using Billions to Secure Vice Presidential Ambition
-
Foreign21 hours agoTrump Says Iran Agrees To Hand Over Nuclear Dust Amid Strait of Hormuz Blockade
-
News21 hours agoADC Reacts To Suspension Of Atiku, Lawal From Party
-
Sports21 hours agoFormer Arsenal, Liverpool Legend Dies In Train Crash
-
News21 hours agoINEC adjusts Osun governorship election campaign period
You must be logged in to post a comment Login