Author: The Nation

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State  has said it would  file a petition against perceived troubles of its members  before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

The party said, it is  in touch with the international community to that effect.

The party’s Governorship candidate , former Sen. Magnus Abe made this known   during a  rally and flag presentation to its candidates in Elekahia community, in  Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.

Abe has repeatedly complained about the harassment, intimidation, arrest, hurried arraignment and incarceration of members of SDP  on trump-up charges.

Last weekend, he  raised the alarm of unexplained police visits to the homes of some SDP leaders and various threat text messages for which he challenged the stste Police Commissioner,  Okon Effiong Okon to speak up on any offense, crime for which the Police is trailing and harrassing them, or stop forthwith such unprofessional policing style.

He said that the SDP had contacted the international community to intervene in the situation which he described as undemocratic and against the fundamental human rights of victims.

“We are in touch with the international community and they told us that anybody, any policeman who is used as an instrument of depravity to harass, lock up members of the SDP and sending them to prison on fake charges, we should bring their names so they will charge them before the International Criminal Court.

“ICC does not recognize any local immunity, ICC does not recognize whether you are a policeman or not”, he said.

, Abe  noted that the forthcoming elections would mark the end of politics for some persons he described middlemen in the state.

“All these big men you see, they are middlemen in politics. They are the ones making life difficult ur lives miserable. They are the ones making election expensive. They are the ones making it impossible for government to serve the people. This election will retire a lot of middlemen.

“The politics of Rivers State will be between the voters and the candidate. I am the candidate and you are the voters. We don’t need any big man to stand between me and you. We need those that will open up business opportunities so that you can make money”.he said.

The former Senator who represented the Rivers South East senatorial district described the Permanent Voters Cards(PVC), as the Peoples’ share of inheritance and that how they use it during the elections will determine the kind of future they will expect.

He said, “We are going to use our PVCs to choose a better future for ourselves and our children. They are going to schools to give students indomie, students that cannot have good education, students that cannot get support, students that cannot have access to modern teaching facilities;

they are giving them indomie to go and vote for them on Saturday. Any student that will sell his birthright for indomie, na you sabi”.

In his remarks, SDP National Vice Chairman South South, Fred Owutorofa who represented the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam lauded the people for their consistent support to the party and its candidates.

“Your support is what will send us to the government house on the 11th of March”, he stated and urged them to cast their ballots for all the National Assembly candidates on the Saturday February 25, during the presidential and national assembly elections.

The Special Investigation Panel investigating reports of extra-judicial killings, extortion, unprofessionalism, and highhandedness against police officials of the Anambra State Command and Zone 13 Ukpo-Dunukofia, has commenced a full-scale investigation into the allegations.

Police said investigators have moved to scenes and sites for on-the-spot-assessment. 

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said: “The team has been tasked to harness all available means and spread its tentacles towards ensuring that all information received via the channels made available to the public is properly examined to assist the investigations, subsequent report of findings,and recommendations.

“The Nigeria Police Force wishes to disabuse the minds of well-meaning members of the public and all interested stakeholders that the panel comprising respected and thoroughbred officers including officers of the IGP Monitoring Unit, reports directly to the Inspector-General of Police, and shall discharge the responsibility professionally and ensure justice.

“The NPF also reassures that the Anambra RRS, Awkuzu, will definitely be reorganized and sanitized to suit the present ideologies and administrative styles of the Force leadership in conformity with international best practices. This sanitization will be equally extended to other tactical squads across the NPF. ”

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued 2,743 victims of human trafficking in 2022.

The rescue was in collaboration with sister agencies, NAPTIP said.

Director General, NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi said support from the Canadian government has made a great impact in the fight against human trafficking in the country.

She said this yesterday in Abuja at a joint press briefing between the Canadian High Commission and NAPTIP to announce another collaborative effort to stem the tide of trafficking in persons and migrants smuggling.  “In 2022, NAPTIP received 1,440 reported cases of trafficking in persons; four hundred and twelve (412) external trafficking cases (28.6%) and one thousand and twenty eight (1,028) internal trafficking cases (71.4%). Two thousand seven hundred and forty three (2,743) victims were rescued in collaboration with other sister law enforcement agencies; Male children were 233 (8.5%); Female children – 688 (25.1%); Male adults – 363 (13.2%); and Female adults – 1,459 (53.2%)

“Victims of inward trafficking were 45, that is victims trafficked into Nigeria; Returned victims from abroad were 251 and  Intercepted victims were1,484, that is, those who were on their way out of Nigeria. Most of these victims are trafficked by road through our borders all across the country. We also secured 80 convictions in 2022,” she said.

“We already have 17 convictions for 2023 and, cumulatively, the Agency has secured 592 convictions since its first conviction in 2004. We also have 262 cases in various courts across the country.”

Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador James Christoff said his country is interested in using evidence based methods, in its fight against human trafficking in Nigeria.

Detectives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested one Mary Samson in connection with the abduction and trafficking of a 15-year-old, Favour Cleopas, to Lagos State for alleged prostitution. 

Police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement yesterday, said the suspect and her accomplices, Blessing Christopher and Christabel Christopher have been in the business of trafficking underage children for prostitution, adding that two 16-year-old girls were earlier trafficked to Lagos for illicit sex business.

The two girls have been rescued, and are now helping the police in their investigations, it was said.

The command has also rescued a four-year-old boy, Unique Tan Timitoms, allegedly abducted from his residence in Afam Community in Oyibo Local Government Area of the state.

The police equally said that four suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime.

The POLICE have arrested three suspected rapists for defiling minors in Kebbi State.

The Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Ahmed Magaji-Kontagora, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that the three were arrested in separate incidents.

He said that one of the suspects, Yunusa Adamu, 25, of Bumawa area of Koko, was arrested on Jan. 29, for allegedly giving N20 to N50 to sexually molest a 5-year-old girl in his mother’s room.

“The suspect threatened to deal with her if she revealed his secret. Investigations have been concluded and the suspect will be arraigned in court with immediate effect,” he said.

Magaji-Kontagora said another suspect was arrested for sexually molesting a 15-year-old girl in Badariya area of Birnin Kebbi.

He said that the suspect, Bello Shehu, 27, arrested on Feb. 4, at about 4:00 p.m., deceitfully lured the minor to his room and had sexual intercourse with her.

The commissioner said efforts were on to arrest Shehu’s accomplice, Yahaya Abdullahi, who has been on the run.

“On Feb. 10, at about 2:30 p.m., one Illo Mai’ole, aged ’25’ of Dalijan village in Gwandu LGA, criminally intimidated a 12-year-old girl of Gwanyal village, at Dagachari bush with a knife and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her three times.

“The suspect will be arraigned in court after investigation,” Magaji-Kontagora said.

The commissioner commended the officers and men of the command for their professionalism, and dedication to duty.