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Akin Fadeyi Foundation, ABUAD in New Partnership Against Rape, Cyberbully
Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti has partnered a non-governmental organisation, Akin Fadeyi Foundation, to fight sexual-based violence and cyberbullying.
The partnership was unveiled in a statement on Friday jointly signed by ABUAD Students’ Affairs Officer, Mr Babatunde Wahab, a lecturer at the institution, Dr Olumide Olugbemi-Gabriel, and the Founder/Executive Director, Akin Fadeyi Foundation, Mr Akin Fadeyi.
The statement is titled, ‘Afe Babalola partners FlagIt App to combat rape and cyberbully.’
Speaking on behalf of ABUAD President and Chancellor, Chief Afe Babalola, as well as the institution’s management, Wahab commended AFF’s FlagIt App for helping to contain the menace of sexual abuse and cyberspace criminality in general.
The FlagIt App is a mobile application developed by AFF to report corruption, particularly the activities of rapists and cyberbullies in society.
ABUAD decried that criminality among the youth was growing at an alarming rate, noting that emerging criminal tendencies and trends were being enabled by advancement in Information and Communications Technology and a corruption-ridden larger society.
“This is why we are excited to see the confidence and speed with which FlagIt rose to the occasion in support of the victims, who are now on the road to getting the needed closure and justice,” Wahab said.
“The onerous task you perform as well as the great efforts which you put into it have been experienced first-hand with your recent involvement in cases of coordinated cyberbullying attacks launched by some unscrupulous persons against some female students of our institution.”
Wahab extolled the manner the AFF and its FlagIt were handling the documentation of criminal tendencies and persons, offering at the same time ready evidence in the pursuit of justice.
“It is in view of the aforementioned that I, in my capacity as Students’ Affairs Officer together with my partner, Dr Olumide Olugbemi-Gabriel, who specialises among others in gender-based oppression and exploitation of women/girls shall be glad to partner with your foundation to stem the rising tide of criminal offences, especially domestic violence, sexual assaults and all forms of cybercrime within and outside ABUAD,” he said.
In his remarks, Fadeyi described the partnership with ABUAD as “a very exciting development.”
He said, “Since we launched the FlagIt App as a mobile application to report corruption, we’ve been uncovering the nefarious activities of rapists and cyberbullies in our society. This has been accompanied by such audacious impudence of trading with or threatening to expose explicit pictures of victims who attempt to resist the pressure of blackmail. This is another troubling element of our systemic decay as a nation that we have confronted swiftly.
“This partnership with Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti bears testimony to the traction our activities have gained and we indeed commend the Chancellor, Aare Afe Babalola; the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Smaranda Olarinde, the Students’ Affairs Officer, Mr Babatunde Wahab, and Dr Olumide Olugbemi-Gabriel for their unwavering commitment to working with us to stamp out gender-based violence and exploitation of women/girls in ABUAD and the nation as a whole.”
The Punch
The Ayo Ogunsan-led Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) has refurbished an eight-years-long abandoned Armoured Personnel Carrier vehicle belonging to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Nigerian Police Force, Lagos State Command.
Itvwas reported that for eight years, one of the APCs acquired by Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF for the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) had major mechanical challenges, left to rot to the extent that even rodents made it their abode. The report added that the APC experienced structural fatigue, mechanical failure, electrical dysfunction, and everything that could be used to describe a rundown vehicle.
“Its state of decay was so appaling and disgusting that it needed a complete overhaul,” the report said.
Upon his assumption of office as LSSTF Executive Secretary/CEO, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan took an inventory of all LSSTF assets procured for Lagos’ security and identified some that required urgent repairs and maintenance. The APC abandoned for 8 years fell in this category.
For many weeks, engineers with expertise and experience in repairing APCs worked assiduously to get it back to life. It was restored bit by bit, bolt to nut, wire to cable, engine parts, hydraulics, everything with precision engineering. Finally, the LSSTF’s APC is back to life and running.
Today, Dr. Ogunsan was visibly satisfied and impressed with the excellent repairs on the vehicle as he carefully assessed the work done. He also took time with the mechanical engineers to move the armoured vehicle to test run it and ascertain its operational efficiency.
The repairs were facilitated by the corporate donations and retail donations received by LSSTF, in the course of Dr. Ogunsan’s administration which has spanned a little above 100 days.
Speaking after the assessment, the LSSTF boss, Dr. Ogunsan thanked the engineers who worked on the project. He also appreciated the resilient donors who gave resources to the LSSTF which made the overhaul maintenance possible.
He was also stern in his warning that such dilapidation of LSSTF assets would no longer be tolerated. He signalled that security agencies that obtain resources from LSSTF would be required to give an account on a periodic basis.
The APC is now certified to resume work. It will strengthen the operational capacity of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Lagos. It is expected to be put into use during high-risk operations, rapid deployment, and patrol duties across critical areas of Lagos, especially during emergencies and security threats.
The Rapid Response Squad (RRS) is a specialized tactical unit of the Nigeria Police Force fully funded by the Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF). The squad conducts round-the-clock patrols, intelligence-driven operations, and swift interventions to ensure public safety and maintain law and order across the state.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, dismissed a case filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), against suspended DCP Abba Kyari on allegations bordering on non-disclosure of assets.
Justice James Omotosho dismissed the suit, filed against Kyari and his younger brothers, Mohammed Kyari and Ali Kyari, for failure of the anti-narcotic agency to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has vowed to take strict action against any officer found to be involved in extortion, reckless enforcement, or other unethical practices.
The Corps Marshal, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, gave the warning on Tuesday in Ibadan, at a sensitisation programme tagged: “Discipline Reinforcement and Strengthening of Command and Control in Field Commands.”
Represented by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Olusegun Ogungbemide, the FRSC boss said that the corps had, over the past months, observed a disturbing decline in discipline, professionalism, and effective command and control in most field commands.
Mohammed noted that the lapses had manifested as misconduct, unethical practices, abuse of authority, extortion, reckless enforcement behaviours and other actions that contradicted everything the uniform represented.
According to him, the disturbing trend has steadily eroded public trust in the corps.
“Let me state clearly and without ambiguity that such behaviours are unacceptable. They violate our regulations, betray our training, contradict our core values and ultimately endanger the credibility and reputation of the corps.
“Every time a road user loses confidence in us, our mandate becomes harder to achieve.
“Every act of unprofessional conduct damages the image of thousands of disciplined staff, and every abuse of authority weakens the trust built over the decades.
“We must remind ourselves that the corps was not created merely to enforce traffic laws. We were established to save lives and serve the public with integrity.
“Our authority flows directly from public trust, and once that trust is compromised, our effectiveness is compromised.
“This is why the present exercise is a corrective measure, not a witch-hunt, but an opportunity for reorientation, reinforcement and renewal,” he said.
He urged young officers and marshals to remember that their uniforms remain a symbol of honour, which must be worn with pride.
He added that their conduct on the road and in public spaces speaks louder than any public relations effort.
The corps marshal also charged commanding officers and other supervisors to actively supervise, promptly correct, consistently mentor, and never tolerate misconduct in silence, noting that silence in the face of wrongdoing was complicity.
“Going forward, discipline will be strengthened; accountability will be enforced; ethical standards will be upheld, commendable conduct will be rewarded, and violations will be sanctioned with fairness and firmness,” he said.
Earlier in her remarks, the FRSC Oyo Sector Commander, Mrs Rosemary Alo, described the programme as apt and strategic, emphasising that discipline remains the bedrock of any paramilitary organisation.
She noted that the FRSC, being officers entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding lives on highways, must continually realign themselves with the core values of the corps, which are professionalism, integrity, transparency and accountability.
“Command and control are operational necessities. Effective supervision, clear communication channels and adherence to laid-down procedures ensure that we function as a unified and efficient system.
“When discipline is reinforced, and command structures are respected, operational results improve, public confidence increases and the image of the corps is strengthened,” she said.
Alo urged members of the public to take advantage of the FRSC mobile apps on the Play Store to report incidents promptly, give feedback, and actively engage with the corps on its services.
