Man sentenced to death for raping 2 year old girl to death

A man has been sentenced to death in Kaduna for raping a two-year-old girl to death.

Justice Kabir Dabo of the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Dogarawa Sabon Gari, Zaria, sentenced Usman Shehu Bashir on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, according to a report by The Punch.

The convict's death sentence relied on Section 221 of the Penal Code, Kaduna State law 1999 (as amended). Bashir had confessed to the crime of luring the child, identified as Fatima, and raping her for 40 minutes, leading to her death. The incident took place in 2015.

Sexual crimes have attracted national attention over the past week after the high-profile rape and murder of Uwaila Omozuwa, a 22-year-old first year student of the University of Benin.

The Jigawa State Police Command also announced the arrest of 11 men who had, at different times and on many occasions, allegedly raped a 12-year-old girl.

This was then followed by the rape and murder of Barakat Bello, 18, at the home she shared with her family on Monday, June 1.

Many Nigerians have called for stiffer penalties for rapists, as well as the faithful implementation of current laws.

During plenary on Tuesday, June 2, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, called on State Assemblies to amend the penal and criminal code to deter rapists with stiffer penalties. "We stand together shoulder to shoulder on this, and I think we need to make the penalties for rape stiffer to be sufficient deterrent for those who are involved in this, or who even desire to be involved," he said.

Lagos : Churches and mosques to reopen on June 19

Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has lifted the ban on religious gatherings in the state, starting from June 19, 2020.

During a media briefing on Thursday, June 4, the governor said his government will allow a restricted opening of religious houses based on compliance reviewed with the state's safety commission.

The governor said mosques are allowed to reopen on June 19, while churches are allowed to reopen on June 21.

Noting that mass gatherings can increase the spread of the coronavirus, Sanwo-Olu said churches and mosques can only reopen at a maximum of 40% of their capacity. "Even if your 40% capacity is really so large, you cannot have beyond 500 (people), and keeping the maximum capacity is really important," he said.

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 had announced on Monday, June 1, 2020 that it was lifting the ban even though the number of cases keep rising in the country.

Rivers : Markets may be demolished for disobeying Wike

The Government of Rivers State has issued a warning that some markets in the state might be demolished.

It said that markets in the state that disobey the order of the government to stop trading at the markets due to the COVID-19 pandemic might be demolished.

The warning was issued by the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Paulinus Nsirim, in a statement in Port Harcourt.

He lamented that traders had continued to flout government’s directives that markets should be shut, due to rising cases of the coronavirus in the state.

Nsirim said that five markets in the state might be shut down permanently for flouting the directives. He did not elaborate.

“The Rivers Government wishes to draw the attention of the general public that Mbiama Market has been closed down.

Any attempt to continue trading activities at Mbiama Market will lead to complete demolition of the market.“

The commissioner mentioned Oginigba Market and two others as markets notorious for disobeying Gov. Nyesom Wike that the markets should be closed. 

“The government warns that anybody who goes to Oginigba Market for any form of business will face the full wrath of the law.

Similarly, Oil Mill Market has been closed and as such all those using Igbo-Etche Road as an alternative market are warned to desist forthwith or risk destruction of their goods.

Government has not approved any goat market at the Eleme/Ahoada stretch of the East-West road in the state.”

Nsirim has asked authorities of Emohua and Ahoada-East Councils to shut down the goat market in the area immediately.

Castration : House of Reps rejects punishment for rapists

Just in, the House of Representatives has unanimously turned down castration as a punishment to persons convicted of rape.

The lawmakers voted against castration as punishment for rapists at the plenary session on Thursday. The punishment was suggested by James Faleke from Lagos state.

They were debating a motion on the increased sexual violence against women particularly the rape and murder of two girls in Oyo and Edo states recently.

Barakat Bello, an 18-year-old girl, was reportedly raped at her father’s home in Ibadan, while Vera Omozuwa, a student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), was raped while reading inside a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

Debating the motion brought forward by Rotimi Agunsoye from Lagos, the lawmakers condemned the high and fast rise of rape cases in the country. They described rape as the most common form of violence against women.

They identified “weak institutions, poor enforcement, poverty and unacceptable social practices” as part of the reasons for sexual violence against women.

They said in addition to the rape cases, Nigerian women also suffer harassment and brutality in the hands of security agencies.

Although the lawmakers voted against castration of rapists as an amendment to the motion, they are calling for stiffer and worse penalties against the convicts of rape.

In addition, they asked the Federal Government to introduce a more effective campaign against rape and other forms of sexual violence against women.

Lagos farm : Swine fever kills N7bn worth of pigs

The Chairman of AFAN, Dr Femi Oke has revealed that swine fever virus has killed N7bn worth of pigs in a Lagos farm.

He said that the farm became infested with the swine fever even before the COVID-19 lockdown began.

African swine fever virus is a large, double-stranded DNA virus in the Asfarviridae family. The virus causes a hemorrhagic fever with high mortality rates in domestic pigs.

Some isolates can cause death of animals as quickly as a week after infection.

This virus is the biggest threat to commercial pig production the industry had ever seen, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health.

Oke said that many of the affected farmers were unable to visit the farm to attend to the animals owing to the restriction of movement by both the Federal and State governments. This contributed greatly to the death of the animals.

He said that while some of the affected farmers are now deceased, some others are bed-ridden due to the shock of the huge loss in their business and source of livelihood.

He said that very few of the farmers are currently struggling to revive the farm which is now in ruins.

80% of the world to take COVID-19 vaccine - Bill Gates

According to American billionaire, Bill Gates, over 80% of the population of the world will be needing to take a vaccine for the coronavirus disease. He said that this is the only way it will work as a remedy to the pandemic.

The founder of Microsoft, has been the target of many conspiracy theories alleging that he has sinister motives behind pushing for vaccines for coronavirus, and other diseases.

While some conspiracy theorists allege that he wants to use the pretext of the vaccine to inject people with microchips to track them, some others say it's part of his evil plan to depopulate the world.

Others have suggested that the virus was deliberately unleashed on the world so that people can make money from selling a cure.

Some of the theories have circulated in Nigeria where 11,516 coronavirus cases have been recorded, killing 323 people.

In an interview with Radio 4 on Thursday, June 4, 2020, Bill Gates said that such theories are harmful to the efforts to save the world from the coronavirus pandemic.

The billionaire said such outrageous theories could derail efforts to get a majority of the world to take the vaccines and put an end to the coronavirus disease. He said,

"It is troubling that in times like that, and accelerated by digital tools, there is so much craziness.

Eventually when we have the vaccine, we will want to develop the herd immunity to have over 80 per cent of the population taken.

If they have heard that it is a plot, or vaccines in general are bad, and we don't have people willing to take the vaccine, then that will let the disease continue to kill people.

So it is a bit worrying that there is some of that crazy stuff.

We just write cheques to pharma companies (and) we happen to have a lot of the smart pharmaceutical expertise in our foundation, and are considered a fair broker between governments and the companies to help pick the best approach".

Kanye West sets up college fund for Floyd's daughter

It was really a surprise to the world of Internet when Kanye West donated some money for the cause of George Floyd and other fallen black Americans.

The Yeezy Boss really caught a lot of people by surprise when he gave out the sum of $2M to the families and legal teams of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd.

Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd are African-Americans who met their untimely death in what has been described as racially motivated.

In addition to that, we gathered that Kanye West has set up a college savings fund to cover the tuition of George Floyd's 6-year-old daughter, Gianna.

Twitter has been ablaze with various reactions to the music star's donation for the families of the deceased men.

Here are some of the reactions on Twitter since the news of Kanye West's magnanimity broke

Ibadan : UI Postgraduate student allegedly raped and killed

A Postgraduate student of the University of Ibadan has been allegedly raped and killed. This is coming barely three days after the rape and murder of Bello Barakat in her home.

We learnt that both gruesome incidents happened in the same area of Oyo State.

It was gathered that the student identified as Shomuyiwa Azeezat, was allegedly raped on Thursday night, at her residence located at Ijefun Moniya road, Akinyele LGA, Ibadan.

A big stone was found on her mattress, raising suspicion that it was used to smash her head which was found covered in blood.

According to a source: 

“Her neighbors discovered her dead this morning in her apartment and quickly informed the police.

Upon interrogation by men of the Oyo State police command, the neighbors claimed not to have heard anything during the night and were whisked away for further questioning.”

In the meantime, a call to action has been raised by social media users using #JusticeForAzeezat.

17 year old girl, boyfriend fakes her kidnap

Identified as Seun Adekunle, a 17 year old girl has been arrested for faking her own kidnap with her boyfriend in Ogun State.

Seun was arrested alongside her boyfriend, Basit Olasunkanmi who is 25 years of age. Their arrest happened after her mother, Bukky Adekunle, filed a report at Enugada police division.

In the report which was made on the 4th of June 2020, she said that she sent her daughter to Lafenwa market since the 1st of June 2020 and she has not returned since then.

She stated further that she received a call from someone two days later who claimed to have kidnap the girl and demanding for the sum of N500,000 as ransom.

The woman said that the caller warned her not to make the mistake of reporting to the police if she still needs her daughter alive.

However, a technical and intelligence based investigation led the police to the hideout where the girl and her boyfriend were hiding and pretending to be with kidnappers.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the boyfriend, who is a butcher, was the one who brainwashed Seun and lured her into the plan because he needed money.

Man remanded for raping 7 month old daughter

A 38 year old man has been remanded in Makurdi Correctional Centre. The man who was identified as Simon Emeka was arraigned for allegedly raping his seven-month-old daughter, Prosper Emeka.

The ruling was made by a Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on Friday.

When the case came up for mentioning, Police Prosecuting Officer, Friday Kanshio, informed the court that on June 1, one Josephine Habba of No 34 Modern Market Road, Makurdi, went to the Nigerian Police Force ‘D’ Division Makurdi and lodged a complaint.

She said that on the same date, she went to Jestic Hospital in Makurdi with her daughter for treatment and she heard one Favour Emeka crying and telling a nurse that her seven-month-old baby girl named Prosper Emeka was raped by her husband.

He said during Police investigation, the said Simon Emeka was arrested for committing the crime which is contrary to section 391 and 284 of the penal code law of Benue State.

No plea was taken for want of jurisdiction. However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Police Prosecuting Officer further told the court that further investigation into the matter was on and asked for another date to enable the prosecution to prove its case.

Magistrates Isaac Ajim agreed with the officer and ordered that the accused be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Service.

He adjourned the case till August 31, 2020, for further mention.