Child abuse ‘largely unreported’ in Nigeria

“My friend has been abusing his younger cousin,” Isaac Raputa (not real name), narrates to this reporter.

“He beats this boy, applies pepper on his body and even his private parts. He beats him over every little mistake the boy or the abuser’s children make,”Raputa continues.
He appears distraught himself, nearly helpless, “honestly, I don’t what to do because the abuser is an older friend who I live with. I have spoken him several times but the abuse has not stopped at all”.
“I want to report but I don’t know how to go about this,” he says

The stories of child abuse abound, there is indeed a high prevalence of child abuse in Nigeria with one in four girls and one in seven boys having faced one form of abuse in Nigeria.
According to the 2014 Nigeria Violence Against Children (VAC) survey by the National Population Commission,  UNICEF and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, six out of 10 Nigerian children experienced at least one form of violence before they reach 18.

More worrisome is that there seems to be no reprieve in sight for the victims as children’s right advocates complain of weak child protection structures in Nigeria.
A survey conducted by the Child Protection Hub (CPHub) shows that only 27 percent of all respondents who admitted to have witnessed child abuse, confirmed to having reported the case to the authorities, mostly the police.

There is an “extreme weakness of child protection systems in Nigeria,” Child Protection Hub (CPHub), a children’s right non governmental organisation says in its report of a survey it conducted in collaboration with the NOIPOLLS, a research organisation.

“It is worrying to know that the rate of child abuse in Nigeria has suffered a considerable neglect,” the organisation said.
“It could be concluded that child abuse in Nigeria is stoked by an overall poor public knowledge on the dangers of child abuse to the society at large as this report portrayed respondents’ display of weak attitudes in reporting cases of child abuse in their localities; a clear case of neglect of the Nigerian child by the citizenry.”

The survey showed that while there is a spate of child abuse in Nigeria, there are not enough children’s rights organisations providing support to children who are abused; and that there is a general lack of knowledge of organisation that promotes and defend children’s right.
“Thirty-four percent of the respondents who claimed not to have reported the incidence purported that ‘they do not know where to report the incidence’… 24 percent boldly stated that ‘it is none of their businesses’ and would rather stand aloof while nine percent said that they were scared of getting implicated in the case among other reasons,” the report read.

Collaborating CPHub’s survey is Raputa’s admission of not knowing how to help the child who his “elder friend is abusing”.
“I am really worried for this boy because anything can happen to him if he is not rescued,” Raputa says.
“The boy says his father knows about the abuse but has asked him to endure so he can complete his education.”

“In the meantime, the abuse goes. The boy is so verbally abused, beaten with mop sticks, and spatulas till he bleeds.”
“I certainly want to report but do not know how to go about.”
The reporter has shared with Raputa the details of the Lagos state Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team. - Cable Nigeria

PL : I rejected Klopp and Liverpool for Man City move - Leroy Sane

Sane says that he rejected the chance to join Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool before signing for Manchester City.

Man city bought the Germany international from Schalke in a reported £37million deal in August 2016, after attracting several suitors following his impressive performances in the Bundesliga.

Compatriot Klopp was among those keen to bring in Sane, but the Reds boss was unable to convince him to choose Merseyside over Manchester.

"Yes, I was also talking with them," Sane told The Guardian. "Jurgen was calling me too, talking to me. That was before I joined City.

"He did a good job at [Borussia] Dortmund – I met him when he was there. He's a good guy, nice guy – honest. He [has] worked well with Liverpool."

Sane could have linked up with Klopp sooner, but opted not to switch Schalke for Dortmund when he was rising through the ranks.

He added: "Yes, there was a time when I was still in the academy that I could have gone there from Schalke but there were no thoughts at all to move to a rival."

Sane scored twice when City battered Liverpool 5-0 in September, but he issued a warning to his team-mates ahead of the in-form Reds' revenge mission at Anfield on Sunday.

"They have a very good team, good strikers," he said. "[Roberto] Firmino, [Mohamed] Salah, [Sadio] Mane – quick players. They will look for mistakes from us and try to play counter-attacks.

"That's why it's a tough game. It was an equal game at the start of the season because they also had chances to score the first goal."

The pacey winger has been in spectacular form for City this season, scoring six goals and supplying nine assists for the runaway Premier League leaders.

Ogun state : 210 persons killed, many injured in road accidents

The Ogun state branch of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said on Saturday said that 210 persons lost their lives with several others injured in various auto crashes across the state in 2017.

FRSC Sector Commander in the state, Mr Clement Oladele, made the disclosure in an interview with news reporters in Abeokuta.

Oladele, who stated that 365 crashes were recorded in the state during the period, explained that the figure had reduced compared to 270 deaths in 386 crashes recorded in 2016.

According to the sector commander, a greater percentage of the accidents were due to speeding, break failure, usage of mobile phone while driving, wrongful overtaking and tyre burst.

He noted that the the rate of road traffic crashes had reduced by 4.7 per cent during the period compared to previous year.

The FRSC boss, however, advised motorists to be cautious and avoid traveling when visibility is blurred.

“The FRSC will continue to intensify effort at sensitising motorists at different motor parks on safe driving and dangers involved in not obeying traffic rules and regulations.

“Road safety is a collective responsibility of all and sundry,’’ he said.

PL updates : Cahill injury not serious - Conte

The hamstring injury sustained by Chelsea captain Gary Cahill against Leicester City is not serious, according to head coach Antonio Conte.

The Italian made just two changes from the side that started the EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal on Wednesday, with Cahill, one of those who returned to the first XI, hobbling off in the 33rd minute.

Andreas Christensen replaced him in defence, but Conte does not expect the skipper to be ruled out long term.

"I think he is with the doctor now, but it's OK, I do not think it was serious," he told the BBC. 

Leicester's relentless pressing made it difficult for the Blues to create opportunities, even after they were reduced to 10 men following the second yellow card shown to Ben Chilwell.

Eden Hazard was unable to make an impact before being replaced ahead of the hour mark, while Alvaro Morata did not have a single shot at goal.

"I think we played with a lot of top players against Arsenal, and then again today against a very good team. I think a lot of our players were tired," the Italian said.

"In the first half Leicester ran more than us, they played better than us, but we knew we were playing against a good opponent, maybe the worst opponent we could have played in this moment. We suffered a lot in the first half.

"I don't think it is only Morata's problem, also the other players, because we are not scoring goals, we are not conceding, but we are not creating chances." 

The result represented the first time Chelsea have drawn three straight matches 0-0 in their history, and Conte blamed fatigue rather than singling out the misfiring Morata. - Goal

Nigerian-born British model, Harry Uzoka stabbed to death in alleged robbery operation

A Nigerian-British male model, Harry Uzoka, has been stabbed to death at his home on Old Oak Road, East Acton, United Kingdom.

Uzoka, who was with Premier Model Management, died from a single stab wound on Friday.

The 25-year-old staggered into the street from a housing estate before collapsing.

Speaking to British media, Detective Inspector Beverley Kofi said: “This is another tragic murder with a young male victim who has met a violent death.

“We believe that the incident started at Ollgar House, in Ollgar Close and the victim was assaulted and stabbed before staggering and collapsing in Old Oak Road.

“We believe there were a number of people involved, but we are still working to establish the circumstances and a possible motive.

“We have made two arrests and continue to pursue a number of lines of inquiry. We need the public’s help to piece together what happened — who the victim was seen with, the incident itself and the immediate aftermath.” - Daily Post

Why Buhari should not stand for re-election in 2019 - Dele Momodu

Dele Momodu, has said President Muhammadu Buhari will be too “tired” to run a “complex” nation like Nigeria at the age of 76.

Momodu, in an interview with Punch, advised Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019 because “Nigeria needs a man with full stamina”.

“I have no doubt in my mind that even if he does not want to run, some people are going to push him to run because their lives depend on it. If he goes, they are gone. But unfortunately, I don’t know what he is enjoying in power again; God has done everything for him.

“He will be at least 76 years by next year; at that age, I believe he would be too tired to run a nation as complex and as complicated as Nigeria. Right now, Nigeria needs a man with full stamina. That is why I have written consistently in the last two months that there are certain things we must do urgently to rescue Nigeria from total collapse.

“One, we must not have anyone above 65 years old in power. That is the retirement age. I’m going to be 58 years old this year and I already feel like I am getting old. Now imagine what it is like for a man close to 80 years old.

“Two, I believe that we should forget about zoning because it is not part of our constitution, so any qualified Nigerian who is distinguished, accomplished, well educated and well exposed should be allowed to run. Why do we want to prevent our best brains from contesting for the most important office in the country? I think if Nigerians are serious, the time has come for them to kill zoning before it kills Nigeria.

“I believe that the next President must be very well exposed, educated and communicate in the language of today. That is why I said that the best legacy the President can give us is for him to search for a worthy successor; even though, it is his right to contest for a second term, but it is not every right that you must claim.

“Even if people are pushing you, you should know that they are pushing you because of their own selfish interest,” he said. -

PHOTO : WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TELL OUR BABIES ABOUT THEIR FATHERS—Libyan returnees with fatherless babies

Their names are Joy and Testimony. Both of them are two weeks old. Baby Testimony was so named because her mother said she passed through a lot of stress before her birth, while baby Joy, according to her mother, “is the joy of my heart”.

Both babies are examples of children returning from Libya without their fathers. What makes their stories sad is the fact that they may never see their fathers again. Their mothers are among the 373 Edo State-born returnees from Libya.

Unlike the previous batches of returnees taken care of by the International Organisation in Migration (IOM), these ones were released from an underground cell in Libya and returned to Nigeria immediately.

They looked unkempt and hungry as they started begging for food from people the morning they arrived Benin City.

The males among the returnees looked skinny, while some of the females are pregnant.

Carol Wisdom, aged 23, is the mother of Testimony, while Alice Monday, also 23, is the mother of Joy.

Both women sat separately from others, and from their looks, one could tell they were uncertain of their futures and those of their babies. They said they carried their pregnancies in an underground cell in Libya without any medication or antenatal care. What worsened their situations was the torture and beating they went through.

Carol said she trained as a hair stylist before embarking on her journey to Europe. She said Burger, the agent who collected N100,000 from her, did not inform her that there was no free movement in Libya. She said she could not find any job in the country until she met her baby’s father.

She said her baby’s father was a welder in Libya before both of them were arrested in March 2017 and led to separate cells. That was the last she saw and heard from him.

She further said: “He is Igbo, but I have forgotten the state he comes from. I have his brother’s contact. He does not know that I have given birth. I have not heard or seen him since we were separated.

“The Libyans beat pregnant women. When I was in labour two weeks ago, they took me to a hospital. It was at the hospital that I was rescued.

“When I leave here, I will call my husband’s brother. I have not called. I called him last in March. We were not allowed to use mobile phones or call our relatives.

“The brother did not know I was pregnant. Right now, I need help. I don’t know where to start. I am very confused about what to tell this baby about her father. I call my child Testimony because of the stress I went through in the cell. No drug was given to me when I was pregnant.”

For Alice, her problems are complicated by the fact that she only knows her baby’s father as Tunde. What she knows is that he used to live in Lagos before travelling to Libya. She has forgotten the state he hails from, and there is no way of reaching his relatives.

Alice said she worked as food vendor in Libya while her baby’s father was a doctor.

She said both of them were separated in May, 2017 when they were arrested and she had not heard any news about him, whether dead or alive.

Her words: “They took us to different prisons. In the prison where I was, people were not allowed to make calls. It was there I lost the contacts of his family members. I don’t have his photograph to show to my baby. I don’t know the state he comes from. I only know that he lived in Lagos before coming to Libya.

“I am thinking of what to tell my baby. Government should help me, so that I can take good care of my baby. I named my baby Joy because she is the joy of my heart. Inside the prison, I was not given any medicine. I was only taken to the hospital when I fell into labour.'' - The Nation

CAN : Nigeria overdue for restructuring

The President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, has thrown his weight behind those calling for the restructuring of the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in his New Year message rejected the quest for restructuring of the country.

Ayokunle, who is also the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, said at the International Workers’ Retreat of the Convention held on Saturday in Abuja that the country is due for restructuring.

He, however, said the restructuring must be done without fear or favour to all the divides.

He said: “There is the need to update how we govern ourselves, thus, re-structuring the nation after 57 years is a welcome development. It must be done without bias or prejudice to religion, ethnicity, class or group affiliation.

“We must develop our home-grown democracy. The present system is a hybrid of the American and British system. It is not working well for us.”

He also quoted Revelations 21:24-26 which says “the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor (glory) into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.”

The cleric said it is clear that every nation in the world has her glory, adding “Nigeria is not left out. Our glory is our pride as a nation.”

“When we gained independence from Britain in 1960, it was a turning point in our history and a breakthrough for the nation’s glory to burst forth. Our glory shone brighter and brighter after independence as we became the foremost nation in Africa and indeed among the black race.

“However, at a point, the glory began to fade and we are yet to recover that glory. If we must bring back the glory of Nigeria and rise to more glory as a nation, then effective participation is compulsory for all Christians.” - The Nation

Supreme Court Dismisses Metuh’s Firm Appeal, Berates His Lawyer

The Supreme Court on Friday, January 12, 2018, dismissed an application by Destra Investment Limited, a company belonging to Olisa Metuh, , challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in a case of N400million fraud involving the former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Metuh is standing trial on a 7-count charge of money laundering alongside his company, over the N400million he allegedly collected from the Office of the former National Security Adviser, ONSA, in 2014 to campaign for former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The offence breaches Section 15(2), (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act”. Destra Investment had through its counsel, Tochukwu Onwugbufor, SAN, challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to entertain counts one and two of the charge.

According to Onwugbufor, “the court lacks jurisdiction to try allegations of corruption emanating from a contractual agreement”.

The application had earlier been dismissed by the Appeal Court, resulting in the further appeal to the Supreme Court.

 In a well-considered judgment of a five-member panel of Justices led by Justice Dattijo Mohammed, the court berated Onwugbufor for presenting the said application before the apex court, despite constitutional provisions.

The apex court also condemned the counsel’s action for insisting on his application despite constitutional provisions against his method of argument.

According to Justice Sumai Akaahs who read out the judgment, the application by Onwugbufor amounted to an attempt to frustrate the ongoing trial.

The judge held that, “Whether a person or company or person has been accused of an infraction of the law, the duty that a senior counsel owes by the privileges bestowed on him is to help the accused person or company clear their name through due legal process and not to create the impression that his duty is to erect roadblocks to frustrate justice from running its course”.

Justice Akaahs consequently dismissed the appeal which he described as “a storm in a teacup” and consequently referred it back to the trial court for continuation of trail - EFCC