The Nation Newspaper

Tag: molestation

  • Shi’ites sue El-Rufai for ‘harassment, molestation’

    The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shi’ites, has sued Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Kaduna for ‘incessant harassments, molestation and open violent physical attacks’ on its members.

    The suit was filed by Engr. Yahaya Gilima Karofi, Muktar Abdullahi Muhammed and Aliyu Umar, against the government of Kaduna State; Governor of Kaduna State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner of Police; Director, State Security Service; Director-General, Department of State Security Abuja, Inspector-General of Police and Chief of Army Staff.

    It accused the government of using security agents to deprive members of full opportunity of observing their religious obligations/activities.

    The movement sought the court’s declaration that the Kaduna State Gazette No.21 of October 7, 2016, and its contents thereof, which purportedly banned IMN in Nigeria and their religious activities in Kaduna State, constitutes a deliberate attempt at amending section 38(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), and Article 8 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act LFN 2010 by the first to the third respondents, acting in concert, and same constitutes an infraction and a deliberate effort at limiting the applicants’ Fundamental Right, as entrenched in the within mentioned laws.

    The group also seeks another declaration that the applicants are entitled to equal level of fair treatment and protection like any other citizens of Kaduna State by the respondents jointly and severally under all circumstances pursuant to Section 42(1) – (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) and Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act LFN 2010.

    In view of the above, the IMN is seeking: “An order on the fourth to eighth respondents to henceforth provide security for the applicants during their major public religious activities and processions in Kaduna State.

    “An order for compensation, in the sum of N100,000, and public apology in favour of the applicants, for the excruciating pains and embarrassment suffered from the unlawful acts of the respondents against them.”

  • Southeast crisis: Minister guarantees security in FCT

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello has appealed to FCT residents to go about their business without any fear of molestation.

    Bello assured that the FCT administration has taken every measure to ensure the security of life and property in Abuja.

    He gave the assurance in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Cosmas Uzodinma after an emergency meeting of the FCT Security Committee which took place in his official residence.

    The minister said, “The purpose of the meeting was to review the situation in the Southeast and its implication for the residents of the FCT as a Centre of Unity. We are properly briefed, and the whole idea is to ensure that FCT remains as peaceful as it has always been.  We also occasionally receive updates on the situation of law and order in all the Area Councils and satellite towns. From all the reports we received FCT is peaceful.

    “It is very clear that from what we read from the social media and some other electronic media, there are some people out there who clearly want to create trouble in this country. Obviously, government would not allow this to happen and certainly, in the FCT, we would not allow that to happen. That is why I am calling on all residents to ignore any negative report they read on the social media platforms that tend towards disunity, disaffection and targeted clearly towards trying to create trouble.”

    Bello further said: “In the FCT, all the ethnic groups, religions and creeds are fully represented and live harmoniously. The laws of the land are very clear and anyone trying to foment trouble would be dealt with according to law. To this effect all the security agencies have been placed on heightened alert.”

    He appealed to all FCT residents, especially those from the South East to live peacefully, to carry on with their lawful businesses without any fear and to discountenance the antics of some people out there who clearly want to create trouble.”

    He stressed, “The Administration will not shirk it responsibility for the protection of lives and property in the FCT” while enjoining all the traditional rulers and chairmen to take the outcome of the deliberations to the Area Councils and grassroots communities. He also harped on the necessity for all residents to be alert to the happenings around the neighborhood as security is a collective responsibility.

    He thanked residents of the FCT for their peaceful and calm nature urging them to continue to remain law abiding.

    The new FCT Commissioner of Police, Malam Abubakar Sadiq Bello announced that security agencies have put in place measures to collaborate and work together to ensure peace and order as well as the exchange of intelligence in the Territory.

    He said this had already with the show of force conducted on Friday.

    Similarly, he disclosed that arrangement is in place for both visibility policing and intelligence gathering and sharing with other sister agencies. “We are well prepared to stop any threat,” He assured.

    In a message to Christians at the end of the meeting, the FCT Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Dr. Jonah Samson enjoined all Pastors and believers to preach and pursue peace and to ensure that we encourage people to live together in harmony.

    He charged all Christians to stay away from trouble and to pray for our nation, so that it would be a better place especially as we approach the independence anniversary celebration, adding that love is paramount.

  • Army denies molestation of women in Ogoni

    Army denies molestation of women in Ogoni

    The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has denied molesting women or other people in Ogoniland’s four local government areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme. It declared that some cultists and other criminal elements in Ogoniland were crying wolf where there was none.
    The Division, through its Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Aminu Iliyasu, stated this yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
    It said: “The attention of 6 Division, Nigerian Army has been drawn to a malicious publication in some online media on the purported molestation of some women in Ogoniland by some recently-deployed soldiers.
    The Division wishes to assure the good and peace-loving people of Ogoniland, Rivers indigenes and Nigerians at large that the publication is totally false, mischievous and is at best a failed and unsubstantiated attempt by some cultists and other criminal elements in Ogoniland at crying wolf where there is actually none.”

  • CHILD SAFETY: Watch those who pamper your child

    CHILD SAFETY: Watch those who pamper your child

    Laura Odinka, not real name, is six years old. She is everything you can call a smart child, she is top in her class, she is bold, confident and outspoken. Ngozi her mother brags about her daughter to any listening ears. ‘My little girl is smart and brilliant’ she boasts.

    Laura’s life took a twist when her uncle visited for a short stay. Uncle Timothy looked calm and unassuming.  He looks lovable and you can take a bet that he will not hurt a fly. It turned out that Timothy had hidden in his gentle looks a debauching pedophilic savor that will one day change the life of the little girl forever. And it did in a just a little over a month. Laura’s most admired uncle who buys her gifts and ‘fights’ for her was the prey that molested her and stole her childhood.

    Laura was abused. Her uncle warned her not to tell anyone and like most parents, Ngozi wasn’t paying enough attention to the changes in Laura’s mood. She became fearful, secretive and began to grow timid, and her packs of confidence began to drop too.

    Although there are no consistent surveys on child molestation rate in Nigeria, but occasional polls suggest that one in every five children are molested or have had an experience of attempted sexual molestation. That is staggering but that is not our focus in this piece. It is  how parents can recognize sexual predators. The first step is recognising dispassionately that anyone could molest, even the most trusted person in the family because a larger chunk of child molestation cases are committed by those familiar with the child.

    Let me walk you through the mind of a potential pedophilia, one who has sexual desire for little girls or boys.

    1. They work really hard to gain your trust: They put up the vibe that they are nice. They come at you with a nice smile, very friendly and before you know it, they have warmed their way into your life and your routine. They usually take their time to win your trust; it can take months or years to win you over. But they don’t ever give up.
    2. They buy your child gifts/treats and favors: once a predator has gotten your trust, he takes it a step further by buying gifts and yummy treats for your child. They offer to do you favors. They try to be helpful as much as they can. In fact, they appear too good to be true. They are overly playful with your children but they try as much as possible not to be too attentive to them when you are around. Don’t forget that last punch liner – ‘they try as much as possible not to be too attentive to them when you are around.’
    3. They try to gain more access and private time with your child: At this stage, the predator has won your trust 100%. Your child trusts him because she knows that you trust him as well. Now, at this point, the predator’s goal is to gain more privacy with your child. They might offer to babysit your child, give your child free extra lessons, offer to take your child out. They work really hard to gain a child’s trust and to develop a special bond with your child.
    4. They desensitise your child: At this point you have gotten very comfortable with the predator and you don’t mind leaving your child with him/her. Your child is fond of them as well and always looks forward to seeing them; your child enjoys his or her company and is eager to go out with him or her. Your child might be experiencing some sort of defilement at this stage, it could be a tickling game, it usually begins from the tickling game, and where the predator accidentally touches the child’s private part and it will keep progressing till the act is done.
    5. They compel the child to keep their activities secret: The trick that predators use on children is the secret trick. The children may not know they are sexually abused. The predator tells them that it is a secret game or that they love them so much and it’s their special secret. Some will tell them that no one will believe them if they speak and they will even punish them.

    Follow this article next week, as I explore further on the preventive actions parents must arm themselves with in order to keep their children away from cougars and pedophilic predators.

    Njideka Obi, lawyer and a child safety advocate.

    08060424282,safersmarterchildren@gmail