A 25-year-old woman, Sandra Ishaku, was on Tuesday arraigned at a Jos Upper Area Court, for allegedly selling her four-months-old baby for N100,000.
Ishaku, along with three others – Amechi Emmanuel, Jones Osim and Gladys Chukwuma – were charged with conspiracy, cruelty, and child abandonment.
According to the prosecutor, Mr L. O. Ocho, Ishaku, on May 10, 2017, sold her baby to Chukwuma, for N100,000.
Ocho told the court that the transaction was carried out in Jos, in the chambers of Osim, a legal practitioner.
“Ishaku conspired with Emmanuel and sold her baby to Chukwuma, who had just relocated from Ebonyi State to Jos,” he said.
The Presiding Judge, Yahaya Mohammed, did not take the plea of the accused, opting to remand three of them – Ishaku, Emmanuel and Chukwuma – in prison custody, while the matter was adjourned to June 1, when hearing would commence.
Mohammed, however, granted Osim bail after his counsel, Mr Lawrence Anya, pleaded that he be released on bail to the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Plateau State Chapter.
A similar appeal by Mr Peter Ikeolu, counsel to the three others, had earlier been rejected after the prosecutor argued that freeing them would affect investigation into the matter.
Mr Cornelius Shoilbial, Permanent Secretary, Special duties, Plateau Government House, says that 95 per cent of commercial tricycle operators in the state are not registered.
Shoilbial made the disclosure on Monday in Jos, at a media parley organised by the state government to mark this year’s Democracy Day.
He said that government’s decision to restrict the operators’ movement to 9pm was to curtail security challenges posed by the riders.
“Most of the tricycles are not duly registered, so it becomes difficult for the perpetrators to be traced when the tricycles are used to commit crime.
“We found out at a point that most of the crimes were traced to the tricycle operators and had to act quickly,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary said that curtailing the time of operations had yielded some fruits as the rate of crime and immorality had gone down.
The official urged Plateau residents to support government’s efforts to rid the state of crimes and restore permanent peace.
Efe Ejeba, winner of the 2017 Big Brother Naija reality show is currently on location to shoot his much awaited music video, “Based on logistics’’.
The 23-year old rapper took to his twitter handle @EfeMoney to announce the development.
“Today we are moving through God’s grace…#basedonlogistics #videoshoot #BTS…na today…no be lie.’’
Efe, since his win, has been enjoying his celebrity status with some endorsements and appearances.
He was appointed Ambassador for Entertainment by the Plateau State Government and also graced Thisday Style magazine cover.
Efe who is a graduate of Economics from the University of Jos, released an Extended Play (EP) titled “Lagos’’ before going into the Big Brother reality TV show.
Ese who from Delta state, was recently crowned as the Prince of Okpe Kingdom by the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, Chief Felix Mujakperuo.
The caucus of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) got further depleted in the House of Representatives Wednesday as a member from Plateau State, Edward Pwajok defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This is as a December 2017 dateline was given for the final decimation of PDP.
Plateau State governor, Simon Lalung said though democracy was not about a one-party state but PDP members would be left with no option than to join the ruling party by the end of the year.
House rules were stepped for the presence of the governor in the chamber to witness the defection.
This brings to 221 the number of APC member in the House.
On the 22nd of February, a member of the PDP, Emmanuel Ukoette representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom, defected to APC.
A month later, on the 22nd of March, two House members, Tony Nwoye (Anambra) and Emmanuel Udende (Benue) defected from PDP to APC on the floor at plenary.
Speaker Yakubu Dogara read Pwajok’s letter on the floor after which the Minority Leader, Leo Ogor protested saying the movement was wrong since there is a substantive Chairman of the party.
Pwajok, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) cited irreconcilable differences that have left PDP divided at all levels as part of his reasons for dumping the party.
Saying that the party secretariat in Jos was not even spared as it was sealed last week, he noted that, “The party is divided in my Local government down to the ward level with parallel structures.
“On Saturday 13th May, 2017, over 500 delegates from my constituency besieged my residence mandating, directing and authorizing that I quit the party”.
Minority Leader Ogor protested that the party has a chairman and that until the litigation at the Supreme Court was disposed of, division within the party was not enough reason for defection.
Ogor also protested when the Majority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila welcomed Pwajok into the fold of APC but the Speaker placed him saying same privilege would be extended to the Minority Leader if any lawmaker defects to his party.
Goveneor Lalung, who witnessed the defection of Pwajok on the floor said Nigerians should expect a decimated opposition party in the near future.
Saying that Pwajok’s defection would open a floodgates of movement to APC, Lalong said he was not planning to muzzle the opposition in the state.
“We are not planning to turn our State into a one-party state but if APC government is very doing and everybody is moving into our party from the federal to the State, why not?
“Though we are not saying we want a one party state because we need a strong opposition to check mate the ruling party, but I’m sure, before the end of the year, with the things this government is doing both at the federal and state, we may not have a substantial minority party again.
“The movement of Pwajok has opened the gate and very soon we will see a lot of defection into APC in Plateau State,” he said.
On his part, Pwajok dismissed the threat of the PDP caucus in the House saying he was “ready for them”.
He said his defection was not about 2019, adding that besides his constituents that encouraged him to dump PDP, the party’s chairman, Ahmed Makarfi has also asked members to find alternative platforms to further their political ambitions.
“PDP is the cause of its own problem and it is irredeemably damaged.
“Some party stalwarts like governor Fayose have sworn to leave PDP if Sheriff is declared chairman. Is that how to reconcile? Was it not those people that invited Sheriff? APC did not impose him on PDD.
“Some of us complained at the initial stage that bringing Sheriff into PDP is like inviting an undertaker.
“So, I have to look at the realities and if the irreconcilable differences persists, one need to find an alternative platform.
“That is why this is taking place now and not on the eve of an election,” he said.
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto yesterday tasked states under the control of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to key in and deepen achievements recorded by the Federal Government in order to ensure rapid socio-economic development of the nation.
Speaking in Sokoto at the opening of the Second Quarterly meeting of the Secretaries of State Governments (SSGs) under APC control, Tambuwal said almost two years after coming to power, the FG has recorded significant achievements especially in the areas of security, job creation, agriculture, education, youth empowerment among others.
He said now that the nation is at a cross-road, it becomes imperative for all APC member-states to ensure a worthy turning-point is propelled.
“Indeed, the journey so far has been very challenging, demands are increasing by day and the resources available keep shrinking. We have the individual and collective responsibility of moving our dear States forward, no matter what it takes,” the Governor stated.
According to him, the Second Quarterly meeting will review the progress so far made on key policy issues with a view to identifying problems and challenges bedevilling their States for a lasting solution.
“It is also aimed at developing basic framework for peer review mechanism, monitoring and evaluation as well as sharing key governance initiatives and actions in some selected APC States in the federation,” he added.
In his remarks, Plateau State Governor and Co-Chairman of APC Governance and Policy Committee, Simon Lalong, represented by his SSG, Rufus Bature, said the meeting would share ideas on critical national issues and leadership strategies that will enrich national discuss and move the nation forward.
He expressed hope that the meeting will mark a glorious turning point that would make Nigeria’s democratic institutions more vibrant for the overall development processes.
The meeting has in attendance SSGs from all APC controlled states and their Permanent Secretaries.
Village Savings and Loans Associations (VS&LAs) has been running for three years now in plateau state. FRANK IKPEFAN reports on the benefit of the scheme and how it has helped rural farmers in the state.
One of the major issues facing small holder farmers in Nigeria who constitute over 80 per cent of the labour force is access to finance. The Federal and state governments have come up with several initiatives such as the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS), Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), Anchor Borrowers Scheme, and Government Enterprise Empowerment Program (GEEP)etc to address this issue but with minimal success due to several factors.
But for three years now, the village savings and loans associations (VS&LAs) has become a source of financial relief to rural farmers in Nigeria. These rural farmers, who are mainly woman, select themselves into 15 to 25 individual group who meet regularly (usually weekly or fortnightly) to save and, if desired, borrow for short periods, paying monthly interest at a rate set by the group. After approximately 12 months, all savings and earnings are distributed back to group members. The earnings usually are distributed in proportion to their savings.
The VS&LAs are self-managed community-based groups that provide their members access to basic financial services. It provides a very cost effective and more sustainable alternative to address the needs of farmers in Nigeria. VS&LAs respond directly to the unmet financial service needs of the remote and rural poor by providing: a secure place to save; the opportunity to borrow in small amounts and on flexible terms; and affordable basic social insurance services. VS&LAs aim to increase household financial assets and to decrease household vulnerability to financial and other shocks and stresses. It goes further in changing the mind-set of the farmers who usually believe loans are free and do not need to pay – hence entrenching the belief of self-reliance and community participation in development.
It is a unique model of increasing access to finance in rural communities and empowering them socially and economically. The benefits that come with the scheme include: empowerment of women folks and marginalized communities to find innovative solutions for inclusive and sustainable economic development, platform for communities to accumulate assets so they can better adapt to shocks, access to markets using the assets as collateral credits and farm inputs such as fertilizers, strengthening community cohesion, building trust among members through regular meetings and dialogues among others.
To help expend the scope of the scheme in Nigeria, an international non-governmental organization, Oxfam, working with her partners, Nigerian Association of Nigerian Women, NAWIA, in Benue, Church of Christ in Nation (CoCiN) Community Development Programme (CCDP) in Plateau, Young Men Christian Association, (YMCA) Nasarawa, Development Exchange Centre (DEC) Kebbi and Christian Rural Development and Urban Development Association of Nigeria (CRUDAN), Adamawa are implementing the VS &LAs initiatives in 25 Local Government Areas in the five states.
“So far, about 1010 groups have been formed comprising of 22,925 and steadily growing. The project aims to reach at least 160,000 individuals or about 6500 groups by 2020,” Oxfam said in a statement.
Aside helping communities meet their basic financial needs as stated above, the project has significantly improved community cohesion and active citizenship in communities where this project is being implemented. Furthermore, women who hitherto do not have voice or engage in community governance issues have become very vocal and confident hence greatly improving their leadership skills.
As a result of the savings they have been able to make, the farmers, who constitute the VS&LA members are now able to access improved farming inputs directly from the suppliers.
“Cumulatively, the associations have a total savings of N125, 574, 764 as of today and this figure is increasing daily. In Plateau state for example, Oxfam facilitated linkage between the farmers and Notore and are now directly buying products from the company from the money they save. So far, they have ordered about 3 trucks this year alone.
“Many of the women in the groups have borrowed monies to expand and diversify their businesses which results in increase income and resilience to shocks,” the organization said.
The Field Officer in Mangu LGA in Plateau state, Gift Mark, said the scheme has assisted the farmers to expand their farmland lands by increasing access to finance fertilizers and other farm inputs.
She said: “They are really benefitting this programme. We taught them savings which is something they are doing right now. They save from the little income they get and they have their share price which is affordable by each members. One share in every meeting. That is they can buy up to five shares. So this little meeting help them to save a lot compare to when they were on their own, they could not save.
“Most of them use the money from this saving to invest in their farms. Before the coming of this programme they were farming a lesser portion of farmland and then with the little fertilizers they get from CCDP makes them to cultivate a better portion of farmland compared to where they were before the coming of the programme.”
Also, one of the beneficiaries of the scheme in Fwangko, Panyam District, Mangu LGA in the state, Dasdum Habila, said the scheme has assisted him to address the issue of lack of funds by helping him to save.
He also said it was difficult for him to get loan from the bank for his farm.
Habila, who is also the leader of Poret group said: “I has helped me to hire labourers for work and buy fertilizers for farm. Even foodstuff for the family. It has also helped me to address the issue of lack of funds. Before I joined this group I always spend anyhow. But because of the introduction of this group I have been able to save for the future.
Project Officer, CoCiN in Plateau state, Josiah Mahwash, said the VS&LA has helped address the issue of access to loans by farmers from microfinance and commercial banks.
“What we do is to link them with either commercial banks or microfinance banks but with the introduction of this village savings and loan association, we discovered that the challenges that they used to encounter in accessing the loan from the microfinance banks and the commercial banks were quite enormous that when you want to take a loan they don’t give it to you at the right time that you want.
“So with the introduction of this village savings and loan association, we discovered that it is the right thing for the farmers because they save themselves and then loan out of it at the time convenient for them.
Mrs Patricia Emeordi, the FRSC Sector Commander in Plateau, on Friday warned the commission’s personnel against indiscipline and indolence.
Emeordi gave the warning while addressing officials of the Pankshin Unit Command during her familiarisation visit to the command and Plateau Central Senatorial District.
“FRSC is a serious and businesslike government organ and has no place for indiscipline and indolence.
“ Therefore, we must all be disciplined and hardworking.
“Above all, discipline is important to our success as a corps which is out to ensure safety on our highways.
“I heard about the good commendations given to this command and you must keep it up; whoever is not in tune should be shown the way out without any delay,’’ she said.
The sector commander also said that information was vital to the success of the commission and urged marshals to do more in executing their assignments.
“ Information is key to our operations just as marshals are the heart beat of the FRSC,’’ she said.
Responding , Mr Segun Oladi, Head of Special Marshals, thanked the sector commander for the advice to the officials of the command.
He expressed confidence in the ability of the personnel of the commission to carry out their duties diligently.
“We, the Special Marshals, are working with the officers and men to ensure that this command succeeds in saving innocent lives on our highways, ’’ Oladi said.
A man returned to his house at 1 a.m., insisted on having sex with his wife that had spent the whole day at the farm while he caroused about the town. The woman complained she was tired and begged for more time to rest, so as to be better ready to fulfil her filial duty.
Her protest was in vain as she got strangled by her spouse.
A Plateau High Court in Barkin-Ladi, where this incident was narrated, has sentenced the culprit, 37-year-old Benjamin Toma, to death by hanging for killing Vicky, the mother of his two children.
Justice Samson Gang, in a 68-page judgement, condemned Toma after he pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of culpable homicide, punishable with death, under section 221 of the penal code.
The incident was only one of the many cases of rising violence against women in Plateau state.
“We have recorded 430 cases of violence against women and girls in Plateau in the last few months. The situation keeps getting worse,”said Mrs. Comfort Zawaya, Senior Project Officer of the Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS).
The story of a lady, Charity Thomas, killed by her male friend, a married soldier was also illustrative of the worrisome trend.
The lady had visited the man. While in the kitchen, her phone rang in the living room. The man picked the call and the caller turned out to be another man. He rushed to the kitchen to demand the identity of the caller.
Just as the flustered Charity wondered why a married man should worry about her caller, the jealous lover, in a fit of anger, used the kitchen knife to stab the girl to death.
The army had promptly court-martialed Sunday Umaru, dismissed him after he was found guilty of killing Charity, and handed him over to the police for prosecution.
The dismissed soldier, Umaru, who was attached to the Special Task Force (STF) and on posting in Barkin-Ladi at the time of the incident, is currently facing a one-count charge of culpable homicide before a Barkin-Ladi High Court.
JUstina DUsu, after the attack. She has now given birth
JUstina DUsu, after the attack. She has now given birth
In another incident, Ms Simi Dusu, a Jos-based business woman, noticed her little sister, Justina’s bulging physique and voiced out her fears.
The sister confirmed her suspicion. She was two months pregnant for one Stephen Luka, an unemployed resident of Tudun Wada, Jos.
Justina told her sister that Luka had owned up to the pregnancy, but wanted an abortion. Simi was opposed to that and insisted on meeting Luka.
At the meeting, Luka again claimed responsibility for the pregnancy. But he restated his desire for an abortion, which the two women promptly rejected.
To demonstrate her understanding of Luka’s situation, Simi told him that he would be relieved of the financial responsibility for the coming child.
“I merely wanted to be sure of the man responsible for the pregnancy. If she delivers safely, we shall take the child to our mother and be responsible for the upkeep,” she reportedly told him.
Angered by the rejection of his abortion request, Luka grabbed a machete and attacked the two women, killing Simi instantly. Justina was also gravely injured, but she survived to deliver the unwanted baby a few weeks ago.
Luka is currently being tried by a Jos High Court over the incident.
In an even more abominable and bizarre incident, a 24-year-old man, Godwin Banchir, has confessed to killing his 65-year-old mother, Saratu Banchir, for refusing to respond to his greetings !
Banchir, who confessed to committing the crime at their Fuskar-Mata village in Bassa Local Government, is also facing trial at a Jos High Court.
He has told the court that he used a stick to beat his mother till she collapsed.
“I used a stick to beat her, but I did not know that it will lead to her death,” he said.
Violence against women is on the rise in Plateau State, especially in the last year, according to the NGO, Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS), which is keeping track of the attacks.
Mrs. Comfort Zawaya, Senior Project Officer of the NGO, said in 2016, an observatory platform was set up by the National Stability and Reconciliation Programme, facilitated by CWEENS, to collate reports, make referrals and respond to gender issues in Plateau.
“The Observatory Steering Committee, made up of more than 23 stakeholders of state and non-state actors, recorded a number of 430 cases.
“The committee also recorded 123 rape cases out of which 80 per cent involved minors,” she said.
Zawaya attributed the violence to the lack of tough laws to prosecute perpetrators of such acts, saying that the NGO had established a home for women and girls battered, raped or bedevilled by harmful widowhood practices.
Secretary-General of WRAPA, Saudatu Mahdi, has spoken in the same vein and declared that government must take drastic measures to address the growing incidence of violence against women.
Worried by the rising violence against women in Plateau, the state’s chapter of the International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA), recently organised a rally to enlighten women on measures to eliminate violence.
Mrs. Hashimu Nshi, FIDA chairperson in Plateau, told newsmen that the rally, which was held inside Terminus Market, Jos, was to offer stakeholders the opportunity to examine the best legal options to curb the violence and secure the Plateau woman.
“Some women keep suffering in their husbands’ houses; Plateau’s situation is particularly bad. As I speak, we have lots of cases of violence against women at the courts,” she said.
The FIDA official said that the group was always willing to handle cases of violence against women and children, and called on those affected to come forward.
“Our focus is to ensure justice for every women; whoever feels victimised should not hesitate to complain,” she said.
Mrs. Tongnaan Bawa, Secretary, National Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ), North-Central Zone, has also expressed concern over the rising cases of violence, and declared NAWOJ’s resolve to enlighten women to fight for their rights and report abuses to FIDA.
“Wife battering is on the rise in our society; women are human beings that need love and care.
“The beatings cause psychological and health effects on the woman and the children. Ultimately, the society is the loser because we raise children who witnessed such violence and grow up feeling that nothing is wrong with it,” she said.
For Mr Garba Mancha, Social Welfare Officer of Jos South Local Government, the only solution to the problem is for women to promptly report “the slightest” abuse to the authorities, so as to avoid something worse.
“Not long ago, we arrested a 43-year-old evangelist, Christopher Sule, accused of torturing his two children, including his wife.
“The children’s teachers reported the matter to us. We checked the children, aged eight and six, and discovered that the father had persistently used cable wires to beat them. We found deep wounds on their bodies, but the mother kept defending her husband,” he said.
He expressed shock at the mother’s attitude, saying that curbing domestic violence would be difficult with such denials.
Mr Peter Azi, Speaker, Plateau House of Assembly, says that the legislature is equally saddened by the rising violence against women, and was working towards enacting laws to tackle the menace.
“Currently, we are working on an executive bill for the establishment of a Plateau Penal Code. We have always used the Northern Nigeria penal code and most of the laws are not only archaic and obsolete, but do not address modern crimes.
“The provisions of the bill, if passed into law, will adequately protect women and children against any form of abuse. It contains very severe sanctions against any form of abuse,” he said
But Sarah Sani, a university lecturer, does not believe in the instrumentality of law alone.
She suggested the strengthening of women economically.
“We must strengthen the individual and collective abilities of women for positive action. Women empowerment will lead to a balanced partnership of both sexes, eliminate fallacies and check gender stereotypes,” the sociology lecturer said.
She said that raising the consciousness of women must be done through all the agents of socialisation starting from the family to the community, schools, Churches and government.
Miss Ambang Julie James, Vice President, National Association of Plateau State Students, believes the number of women killed by aggressive men would be reduced if women were more careful when in love, noting that such emotional attachment makes them vulnerable.
“Women have a great capacity to love and men take advantage of that. Women do everything to please their loved ones, but instead of being loved in return, they get cheated and even killed,” she fumed.
James advised women to avoid aggressive men, and confide in friends or colleagues for possible advice, anytime they found themselves in abusive relationships.
But a psychologist, Azumi Sylvestre, says that the only remedy to abuse is for women to flee from violent lovers and avoid relationships that seem to hurt them.
“Women must open their eyes very wide and try to study the warning signs. They must avoid hot-tempered and very jealous men. Women should also avoid cruel and possessive men.
“They should also be very careful with men that are frustrated because they can vent that anger on anyoe around at the slightest excuse,” she said.
However, violence against women is not peculiar to Plateau. It is a trend shared with some other northern states.
The Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi, has expressed deep concern over this.
Sanusi, who spoke at an interactive session organised by Women Rights Advancement and Protection Agency (WRAPA), declared that any society desirous of growth must be fair and just to its women.
“Islam abhors any form of maltreatment, injustice and discrimination against women; it is to protect women against such abuses that I have been canvassing for the promulgation of laws that will restrict violence against women via severe sanctions for culprits.
“Husbands must treat wives with respect and dignity in accordance with religious and traditional injunctions,” he said.
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state has called on banks operating in the state to revert to the 4 p.m. closing time, instead of the 3 p.m. they adopted when the state was in crisis.
Lalong made the call on Wednesday in Jos, when the President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Prof. Segun Ajibola, paid him a courtesy call.
“Peace has returned to Plateau; there is no need for banks to hold unto the 3 p.m. closing time.
“Please appeal to your members to start closing by 4, instead of 3, because closing by 3 gives an impression that we are still crises-ridden,” he said.
He appreciated the institute’s contribution to the Plateau economy, and promised to engage more chartered bankers as senior government officials and civil servants.
Lalong promised to attend the 22nd International Conference of Bankers slated to take place April 25 in Lagos, and also promised to look into CIBN’s request for a property for its branch in Jos.
Ajibola had earlier said that the group was in in Jos to invite Lalong to its Lagos conference.
He commended Lalong for restoring peace to Plateau, and regretted that the state, which was once revered by many as the home of peace and tourism, became a scary environment in the past few years.
