Metro
Police Probe Gang-Rape of Akwa Ibom Teenage Girl by Three Men
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command said it had begun investigation into the case of a 16-year-old girl, who was gang-raped by three men in the Eyoabasi community, Oron Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that the victim was gang-raped around 7pm on February 18, 2021, when she was coming back from a coaching class.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the victim, a Senior Secondary School 1 pupil, was allegedly attacked by three men and dragged into an uncompleted building and raped at gunpoint.
The victim, who managed to escape from the men, was said to have been rescued by a passerby when she fell.
It was gathered that the matter was reported at the Oron Divisional Police Headquarters.
However, the family accused police personnel at the station of trying to cover up the matter.
The victim’s uncle, Robinson Edumoh, alleged that the officer-in-charge of the juvenile, women and children unit at the station wrote a different statement for one of the suspects, who is in police custody and allegedly confessed to the crime, adding that the officer tried to turn the case against the victim.
He said, “My sister was directed to the woman in charge of the juvenile welfare unit, but she told her to come back the next Monday to collect the medical form.
“I called the DPO to tell him what happened and he requested that I should direct my sister to his office; she went and met with him and my sister got the medical form and took it to the hospital and the victim made a statement that she was attacked at gunpoint, but the police officers handling the case refused to carry out any search of the arrested suspect’s house to see if they would recover any arm until after a week.
“The officer-in-charge fabricated a statement for the arrested suspect that the victim said he was not involved. I met the DPO and he summoned the IPO and the OC, and when they got to his office, he asked her where the OC got the statement from and she started trading blames; so, the DPO ordered that the case file should be re-assigned to another officer and a search warrant should be executed to search the suspect’s house and the scene of the incident.”
Edumoh also alleged that after the Divisional Police Officer gave an order for the suspect’s house to be searched, the OC insisted on collecting money from the victim’s mother before executing the search warrant.
The victim’s uncle added that until he called the DPO again, the OC did not conduct a search on the suspect’s apartment.
He added, “I called the DPO again to tell him what the OC was saying; the DPO was mad at her before they were able to go to the suspect’s house on Friday, where they recovered live ammunition, and at the scene of the incident, the victim’s pants and her menstrual pad that the suspects tore were recovered one week after the incident.”
When contacted by our correspondent, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko Macdon, refuted the claim that the police were covering up the matter.
He said the matter had been transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department in Uyo.
Macdon stated, “The matter has been transferred to the state command, because the divisional headquarters have no right to handle a rape case; we have a special section at the state CID that handles such cases, and if the police are trying to cover up the case, they won’t have gone to execute a search warrant, recover the victim’s pants, pad and locally-made ammunition, and arrest a suspect.
The Punch
The Lagos State Security Trust Fund has intensified support for community-based security with the donation of 100 anti-riot kits and 1,000 pairs of operational boots to the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency.
The high quality modern equipment was presented on behalf of the Executive Secretary/CEO, Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, by the Director of Administration, Mr. Adegbola Lewis, to the General Manager of LNSA, Dr. Ifalade Oyekan, at the Agency’s headquarters in Oshodi.
The Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Agency plays a critical role in grassroots security as they support the police through intelligence gathering, routine patrols, and community policing initiatives across all local government areas in the state. The Corps is also tasked with maintaining law and order, detecting suspicious activities, and fostering safety awareness within communities.
The intervention is expected to further strengthen neighbourhood-level security architecture and deepen collaboration between communities and formal law enforcement agencies in State.
The Federal government has declared Friday, May 1, a public holiday to commemorate this year’s International Workers’ Day.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the announcement on behalf of the government.
In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Magdalene Ajani, the minister congratulated workers nationwide, commending their commitment and contributions to national development.
He noted that the dedication of Nigerian workers remains vital to the country’s growth and economic progress, urging them to sustain values of patriotism, productivity and diligence.
Tunji-Ojo also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving workers’ welfare, enhancing security and creating an enabling environment for economic expansion.
He called on Nigerians to remain peaceful and law-abiding during the celebration, encouraging citizens to reflect on the importance of unity and hard work in nation-building.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has expressed concern over the rising pressure on workers’ welfare and economic conditions of the country.
The Congress warned that it would embark on nationwide protest, if there is no improvement.
The warning was conveyed in in a communiqué jointly signed by the TUC President, Mr. Festus Osifo, and Secretary-General, Mr. Nuhu Toro, at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja.
The Congress said the NEC meeting reviewed the state of the nation, developments within the congress, preparations for the 2026 May Day celebration, and other critical issues affecting Nigerian workers.
“The prevailing economic hardship has significantly affected the living standards of Nigerian workers, making daily survival increasingly difficult.
“We are closely monitoring the situation, and if there is no improvement, the congress will have no option but to mobilise workers in defence of their welfare.
“Government must urgently take concrete steps to address the rising cost of living and restore confidence in the economy,” it said.
The Congress said rising fuel prices, inflation, electricity tariff increases and insecurity had combined to erode workers’ purchasing power and living standards.
It noted that global developments, including the Iran–U.S. conflict, were further worsening economic pressures through higher energy costs and supply chain disruptions.
According to the TUC, Nigerian workers have not benefited from higher global oil prices but continue to face rising costs of transportation, food and essential services.
It urged the Federal Government to deploy excess crude revenue to cushion economic shocks and support vulnerable citizens.
The congress also called for urgent measures to stabilise fuel prices, improve electricity supply, and address insecurity nationwide.
It emphasised the need for policies that promote decent work, job security and social protection.
“The government must prioritise the welfare, dignity and security of Nigerian workers in all policy decisions,” it said.
The TUC further called for tax relief for manufacturing companies and workers to ease economic pressure and stimulate productivity.
On electricity, it condemned repeated tariff increases without improved service delivery and demanded fair pricing, universal metering, and an end to estimated billing.
The congress expressed concern over rising insecurity, describing it as a major threat to economic activities and workers’ safety.
It urged government at all levels to adopt coordinated, intelligence-driven strategies to protect lives, farms, businesses and critical infrastructure.
“A stitch in time saves nine,” the communiqué added.
