Justice Ibironke Harrison of a Lagos High Court has sentenced a police officer, ASP Darambi Vandi, to death by hanging for shooting Lagos-based lawyer, Mrs Omobolanle Raheem, dead, on Christmas Day of 2022.
ASP Drambi Vandi, allegedly shot and killed Barrister Omobolanle Raheem in Ajah area of Lagos State was charged at the Chief Magistrate Court in Yaba area of Lagos state on one- count charge of murder. The one count charge filed against Vandi read, “That you ASP Drambi Vandi on the 25th day of December 2022, at Ajah Road, along the Lekki Expressway, Lagos, unlawfully killed one Omobolanle Raheem by shooting the deceased in the chest contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.”
Justice Harrison held that the prosecution was able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge also held that the convict shot the deceased at close range.
ASP Vandi in his application on the no-case submission, had asked the court to dismiss the suit and discharge him claiming that he had no case to answer.
In his arguments, the defence counsel, Adetokunbo Odutola, told the court to note among other things that none of the eyewitnesses saw the defendant shoot and that the ballistic report of the gun allegedly fired expressly stated that the bullet could not be linked with any of the firearms recovered from the police officers at the scene.
Oduntola who argued that the pathologist who testified mentioned that the bullet penetrated from the left through the armpit while the prosecution stated that the deceased was shot in the chest.
However, the prosecution led by the Attorney General of Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), had countered the arguments and urged the defendant to defend himself insisting that the prosecution had successfully made its case against him.
Meanwhile, students in Akwa Ibom State have been charged to join the fight against sexual violence in their schools and communities.
This was during a sensitization campaign implemented by Project Alert and sponsored by African Women’s Development Fund in collaboration with Akwa Ibom State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee and other development partners.
The programme which was targeted at educating the students on the concepts, forms and impacts of sexual violence took place earlier today at Cardinal Ekandem Seminary and Adiaha Obong Secondary Commercial School, Uyo.
One of the facilitators at the event and Consultant at Project Alert, Dr ANIEFIOK UKOMMI stressed the need to engage the young people in schools to get them ready to protect those vulnerable to sexual violence, in his presentation defined Sexual Violence as any violent act that is targeted at the sexuality of a person which may cause psychological or physical pain.
Dr UKOMMI also stated some forms of sexual violence, urging the students to watch out for these indicators as they engage in their various communities.
The programme officer, Project Alert on Violence against Women, NSINI UDONTA said that sensitization is necessitated by the outcome of their research in 2021on the impacts of sexual violence academic institutions in Cross River and Akwa Ibom state.
On her part, the secretary of Akwa Ibom State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee, Barr EMEM ETTEH expressed delight at the students’ response to the programme.
She also stated the objectives of the programme.
The students who participated in the programme expressed their gratitude to the organizers while promising to spread the message to their fellow students and in their communities.
At the end of the event, clubs were set up to foster the course of the project.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the payment of N25,000 monthly grants to vulnerable pensioners captured in the expanded National Social Register of the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, announced on Thursday that Mr. President had directed the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to commence the payment of the grants to beneficiaries from next month.
According to a statement issued by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Rasheed Zubair, the minister disclosed this when she met with the leadership of the Nigerian Labor Congress, led by its President, Joe Ajaero, at Labor House, Abuja.
She said, “The President mentioned very clearly that vulnerable pensioners should be immediately captured in the National Social Register and benefit from the Conditional Cash Transfer, as part of the national social safety net expansion.
“This was made clear in his speech on Independence Day where he committed N25,000 for 15 million household for three months”
Edu appealed to the NLC to help fast-track the process of collating data of would-be vulnerable pensioners so that they would start receiving the grant.
the NLC president expressed delight at the initiative, but noted that getting to the root cause of poverty would go a long way in addressing the problem confronting pensioners and workers.
Ajaero said, “Let’s look at not only how to solve this problem, but the cause of it. If we continue to treat the effects of poverty, the problem will persist. Let us look at other social welfare interventions and job creation that will go a long way to support families.”
He thanked the minister for being the first member of the Federal Executive Council under the current administration to visit the labour house.
The President, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Godwin Abumisi, thanked Tinubu and the minister for finding the retirees worthy of the grant by the Federal Government.
He said pensioners received as low as between N5,000 and N10,000 a month, and that the N25,000 grant would go a long way in supporting many of them.
Masquerade practice in Africa is an integral element of the African cultural heritage. Its meaning transcends human differences and this dates back to the pre-historic African society.
Ekpo, as being called by the Ibibio and Annang people of Akwa Ibom state is believed to represent the ancestral spirits and acts, serving as bridge between the living and the dead.
Regrettably, while some communities use this cultural display to instill discipline and correct ills among members, others use it to cause havoc.
In August, 2022, the police authorities in Akwa Ibom state announced the ban of masquerade activities across the state. The order enjoyed popular media coverage in both national tabloids and electronic media firms.
The ban followed the use of the culture as instrument of threat, murder and other anti-social manifestations in the community, thus violating the original intention of these cultural practices.
This special report examines the ordeal of the family of Mr THOMAS UKOABASI, whose members are seeking intervention following a reign of terror on them from those who disguised as ekpo masquerades.
The family of UKOABASI THOMAS in Edem Ibiok, Ibesikpo represents victims of cruel treatments meted out by some culprits, whose aim is to unleash terror on fellow community members. Mrs. ANIEMA UKOABASI narrates her ordeal. She speaks in vernacular.
In addition, IMABASI THOMAS UKOABASI’S experience of the masquerade molestation is far a cry from the African social ideals. She speaks in vernacular. Do take a listen.
To further corroborate the claims as expressed above, Miss PRINCESS UKOABASI, one of the daughters in the family had this to say.
From the foregoing, the UKOABASI’sfamily is in fear. They seem to have lost all their fundamental human rights to a set of persons who are supposed to be their kinsmen, watching their back and looking out for them in communal love.
Another member of the family, a farmer and one of the victims who escaped death by the whiskers, ETIDO THOMAS is worried of their safety and that of his farm produce as he narrates the attacks by the impersonators.
The situation in Edem Ibiok, Ibesikpo has prompted an outcry, especially with the fact that even the village head, Eteidung UWEM OKON EDET is appearing unsure of the source of the problem and what action could restore order in his community. He also speaks in vernacular.
At the time of filing this report, Mr. THOMAS UKOABASI, the man whose finger was chopped out was indisposed to speak to the press.
The mill of justice they say grinds slowly, but it is instructive to note that delayed justice is justice denied.
Eteidung UWEM OKON EDET’s claimed efforts to salvage the problem are perceived as unsatisfactory to the victims. This may be due to the lack of corresponding outcomes.
Therefore, the people’s cry at this point is getting louder as they seek government’s adequate intervention.
The use of masquerade practice as instrument of dehumanization, humiliation, marginalization, fermenting hatred, envy and jealousy against fellow members of the community is unacceptable in the African sensibility.
Akwa Ibom State has the reputation of being one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria. While peace and security remain cardinal in the Governor UMO ENO’S ARISE Agenda, perpetrators of violence must be apprehended and made to face the law, in a bid to deter others from finding the enterprise lucrative.
