A 35-Year-Old man identified as Godwin Peter Femi has been arraigned in court for allegedly defiling a 13-year-old girl in Adeba, Ibeju Lekki Lagos.

The case was brought to light after the victim’s father, Samuel reported the incident to the police.

The complaint was initially filed at the Elemoro police division and later transferred to the gender unit of Lagos police command, Ikeja in September. According to the police report, Samuel alleged that Femi had been sexually assaulting his daughter since June 2024

The father further revealed that on June 30, his daughter withdrew N20,000 from his bank account using his ATM card without his knowledge. When confronted, the young girl confessed that she had given the money to the suspect. She explained that Femi had threatened to kill her if she revealed that he had been defiling her.

Following her confession, the police apprehended Femi, who admitted to having sexual relations with the grip but shockingly claimed that she was his ‘girlfriend’.

The suspect was arraigned in court on September 20, 2024, facing charges of defilement.

The Obi-in-Council of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, Aniocha South LGA, Delta state, has rejected claims by a group, United and Concerned Indigenes of Utulu, alleging that Obi Ifechukwude Okonjo 11, Obi of Ogwashi-Uku is involved in land grabbing.

Obi of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, HRM Ifechukwude Okonjo 11 is a younger sibling of former Nigerian Finance Minister and current Director General, World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The Obi-in-Council, in a signed statement, its scribe, Prince Ifeakanachukwu Emordi, stressed: “the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku cannot and will not confiscate land that lawfully belongs to Ogwashi-Uku community under his stewardship.”

It accused the group of planning “to plunge Utulu back into the dark days of criminality and unrest.”

It said the group was connected to persons recently granted bail from Federal Correctional Centre, Ogwashi-Uku for “inciting security disturbances in Utulu, Ogwashi-Uku”, adding that it has used the names of prominent government figures to bolster their false claims.”

It said the leaders of the group are not indigenes of Utulu Ogwashi-Uku, a recognised part of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, and as such lacks legitimacy.

Reacting, Mr. Chukwuma Nkwuka, leader of the group in a statement, said residents of Utulu community were being attacked by terror groups. He added that they would resort to taking up arms in self defence.

In the statement which reads in part, Nkwuka said, “We, the law abiding citizens of Otulu Community have been pushed to the wall by the terror groups and their sponsors leaving us with the only option of taking up arms in defence of ourselves.

“Recently, the Delta State government through His Excellency, Sir Monday Onyeme, Deputy Governor of Delta State in a meeting with some traditional rulers from Ogwashi-Uku, Okpanam, Ibusa, Issele-Azagba, Ubulu-Okiti etc following complaints of land grabbing directed that the sale of land in disputed boundary areas should be stopped forthwith pending the outcome of an Investigation Panel set up by the government to look into the matter.”

Barely 72 hours after the arrest of five notorious gunrunners leading to the recovery of automatic weapons and about 6,000 rounds of assorted rounds of ammunition at Bayameni along Bauchi Road in Jos North LGA of Plateau State, the troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) have busted another gunrunning syndicate, as two more have been nabbed.

A statement by Major Samson Zhakom, the OPSH Public Information Officer yesterday said, “Operation SAFE HAVEN conducted follow up operations in Bokkos Town, Bokkos LGA of Plateau State on 18th September, 2024.

“During the intelligence-based sting operations, security agencies busted another criminal syndicate while finalising transactions for sales of arms and ammunition amounting to Five Million Naira (N5,000,000.00) at Banana Island Hotel in Bokkos.

“Consequently, two notorious gunrunners identified as Matawal Bitrus and Thomas Benedict were apprehended.

The troops recovered two AK-47 rifles, one automatic pistol, and three AK-47 magazines.

“The suspects have been taken into custody for interrogation, with a view to extracting information in order to arrest other members of the gunrunning syndicate on the run.”

Zhakom said, “The latest arrest of gunrunners and recovery of arms and ammunition from both Jos North and Bokkos LGAs confirms the assertion that criminality is not defined by any ethno-religious boundary.”