Metro
Rape Accusation: Nigerian Commits Suicide in US, Announces Own Death
A creative designer and founder of Uhuru Designz, a United States of America-based clothing company, Izuchukwu Madubueze (simply known as Izu), has taken his own life over an allegation of sexual assault.
Izu, who resided in Tampa, Florida, reportedly moved to the US some years ago.
While his Lagos-based friend, Nelson Greyhood, confirmed the suicide to PUNCH Metro, efforts to speak to his family members proved abortive.
The telephone line of his brother, Ekene, was not reachable.
Our correspondent, however, read Ekene’s status update, indicating that his phone was ‘blowing up’ from multiple calls, as he asked his friends to send him text messages.
He had yet to respond to a text message from our correspondent.
Izu reportedly graduated from King’s College, Lagos, in 2013, before getting a scholarship to study at the University of Florida.
The King’s College Old Boys’ Association confirmed his death on its Twitter page.
PUNCH Metro gathered that a Twitter influencer and female rights activist, Nanichi Anese, added Izu’s name to a list of sexual offenders on the social media late June 2020.
She claimed to have received information from some anonymous ladies, who alleged that the victim sexually assaulted them.
Izu, who was contacted by friends, who saw the post, reached out to Anese, demanding the identities of his accusers.
However, Anese allegedly declined the request, saying she had sworn to protect the ladies.
After failed efforts to clear his name, the victim was said to have taken his own life.
Izu announced his own death on Twitter using Crowdfire App, an application which allows users to schedule their posts.
“Oh and if you’re reading this, I’m dead lol,” he wrote on July 17, 2020.
As reactions trickled in, his accuser, Anese @nanichianese, claimed she had spoken to him and they had apologised to each other.
When the criticisms increased, she deactivated her Twitter account.
However, before deactivating the account, Anese said her intentions were noble.
“I’m aching right now and have so many thoughts, so much anger, pain, guilt, sadness. But this isn’t about me. It never has been. For those of you healing so many wounds right now, I’m sorry if any of your pain has come at my hands. This is the last of what I would ever wanted and I am really struggling because my friend is gone,” she wrote.
Findings from earlier tweets by @nanichianese showed that she had listed the names of some men, including Izu, accusing them of sexual assault.
She urged them to have some “introspection” on their past dealings and seek the forgiveness of their former girlfriends.
“I have remained steadfast and will continue. No stories will be released, no names will be released. I stand by that and will not waiver. Deal with that as you see fit and do not attach me to anything. But this thread will live on,” she wrote on her timeline.
Izu, in a private message to Anese, whom he said was a friend, demanded details of the allegations against him.
He lamented that a lot of people had been calling him after seeing his name on the list.
Anese said she was told “the harassment was not physical.”
“Again, thanks for your response; I thought we had a better relationship than this Nani, but it’s cool, I can’t shoot the messenger. No one comes to mind still. My phone is blowing up, and I myself, I’m still shocked. If you could let the person know I sincerely apologized for any way I harassed them that’d be greatly appreciated. If they need to talk, they can reach me on (phone number). Feel free to post this too,” he wrote.
However, Anese said the victim declined to speak with him.
Izu expressed frustration at the accusation and released private messages of a lady, who asked to date him in 2017.
He said while he did not wish to discredit any supposed victim’s story, his efforts at knowing his offence had been futile.
“I am still pretty clueless as to who this is, so if you feel comfortable enough, please feel free to reach out to me so I can understand wherever I went wrong and make amends and do better overall,” he wrote.
His friend, Greyhood, told our correspondent that Izu later killed himself.
He said, “He schooled in the University of Florida, where he studied something like Criminology or so. He was staying in a small apartment before he moved to a big warehouse as his company was doing fine. He was a great guy with strong will. He moved to the US more than four years now on scholarship.
“It was actually over there that the rape allegation trended. The woman compiling the list of the supposed sexual offender is also in the United States.
“I went on Twitter and saw the whole story and how he pleaded to know the accusers and even brought out his past relationships, saying he had never abused anyone in his life.
“His friends close to him in Florida confirmed that he’s dead. The Crowdfire app he used to post his death allows people to schedule their posts. So, it dropped online after he took his own life.”
PUNCH Metro observed that a petition on change.org calling for the prosecution of Anese had been signed by over 5,000 people.
Thousands of Nigerians on Twitter also called for justice for the victim, with the hashtag#JusticeforIZU, trending for hours.
The Punch
The distinguished Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Navy, His Excellency, Otunba Engr. Gbenga Daniel, has extended warm congratulations to Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing, Chairman/CEO of Adron Group, on the occasion of his 50th birthday.
In a heartfelt message, Senator Daniel praised Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing for his outstanding dedication and immense contributions to the Nigerian housing sector. He described the celebrant as a shining example in the business community, whose passion and commitment have left an indelible mark on the real estate industry across Nigeria.
“You are indeed a source of inspiration to your generation and a shining example within the business environment. There is no doubt that you had written your name in an indelible ink across Nigeria and most especially among the real estate developers,” he wrote.
Senator Daniel also acknowledged Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing’s conferment as the ‘Otun-Asiwaju of Remo Christians’ by the Ogun State branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), as a reflection of his God-fearing nature, philanthropic spirit, and commitment to humanity.
The senator offered prayers for good health, greater accomplishments, and many more remarkable years ahead for the business mogul.
He concluded by affirming his highest regards and admiration for the celebrant.
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, has directed Commanding Officers to ensure full deployment of staff for maximum visibility, prompt removal of obstructions and ease of movement on all highways across the country. This is in line with the operational guidelines of this year’s Easter special patrol scheduled to commence from 16th to 23 April, 2024.
According to the Operation Order, obtained by the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), the objectives of the special operations are reduction in road traffic crashes, road traffic fatalities and road traffic Injuries; prompt response to road traffic crash victims; unhindered in purposeful public education and speedy removal of obstructions from the highways, amongst others.
Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed assured members of the public that in achieving the objectives of the special operations, the Corps will combine the engagement of the motoring public through purposeful and impactful public education programmes, strengthening of surveillance activities to regulate unprofessional excesses, sustained effective patrol operations as well as adequate monitoring on the highways.
To this end, the Corps would carryout aggressive enforcement including conducting over 200 Mobile Courts operations, with the aim of checking the following offences:
Speeding and Dangerous Driving/Overtaking,
b. Lane indiscipline/Route violation,
c. Road Obstructions,
d. Use of Phone while Driving,
e. Overloading,
f. Seatbelt/Child restraint Use Violations,
g. Passenger’s Manifest Violation,
h. Operation of mechanical deficient and rickety vehicles,
i. Latching and Twist-Locks Violation,
To achieve the aforementioned, over 743 patrol vehicles, 184 administrative vehicles, 92 ambulances, 23 tow trucks and 144 motorbikes are being deployed as part of the patrol logistics.
Furthermore, reflective jackets, traffic cones, tyre pressure gauges, a number of extricating machines and digital breathalyzers are part of the tools set aside for the special operations.
Added to the above is, a total of 23 Help Areas mobilised to ensure prompt removal of obstructions, and rescue operations during the period. This, he said, is in addition to the 15 traffic control camps which would be dedicated solely to identifying traffic gridlock areas to be manned by our personnel on 24/7 basis.
For effective monitoring and prompt response, the Corps has put in place a Situation Room at the National Headquarters to monitor the activities across the country, collate and process information for dissemination to relevant commands and stakeholders as the case may be.
This is in addition to 28 Road Traffic Crash Clinics and 53 Zebra points located along the major routes. This would be covered by 92 ambulances to be fully utilized for prompt response to crashes and rescue of injured victims to hospitals for more professional attention.
He also directed the Commanding Officers to liaise with other strategic stakeholders within their operational areas to secure the needed moral and logistics as well as security support. The Corps Marshal identified some of the stakeholders as Military formations (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Police (enroute or resident); DSS (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Immigration Service; the NSCDC (enroute or resident).
Others are Federal Ministry of Works and Housing; National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); State Traffic Management Agencies; State owned NGO’s ambulance Services providers; National Network on Emergency Rescue Services (NNES);
Federal Road Maintenance Agencies and
Federal Fire Service.
On the overall preparedness of the Corps for the special operations, he expressed optimism that Nigerians would as usual, cooperate with members of the Corps and other security agencies as well as volunteers who would come out to assist the Corps in traffic management.
Expectedly, with the massive deployment of personnel and logistics and the envisaged public support, the Corps Marshal is confident that the celebration would be a huge success.
While reassuring the motoring public of FRSC’s renewed vigour towards entrenching sanity on the roads, the Corps Marshal also wishes all Nigerians safe and peaceful Easter celebrations.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting in Ojokoro LCDA, Lagos State, ended in chaos on Monday over alleged imposition of a chairmanship candidate.
The meeting began peacefully at 7, Ijaoye Street, at 4:00 pm before aggrieved members stormed the venue in protest.
Protesters chanted “(unprintable word”; “We can’t take it”, and accused Speaker of State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, of imposing a candidate from Agege on Ojokoro residents.
Other chants included “Who knows Sanusi?”, “Obasa can’t control us from Agege”, and “We won’t allow a stranger rule us here”.
Speaking after the disruption, one of the protesters, Mr. Olusegun Akinoso-Olawaye said the meeting was a ploy to ratify an imposed candidate with no ties to the council.
He stressed that a chairmanship aspirant must reside in Ojokoro, and have worked for the party and actively participated in council politics.
He warned that imposing an outsider with no electoral history in Ojokoro would have negative consequences.
“We are here to reject imposition. All aspirants deserve a fair contest to prove their political relevance,” Akinoso-Olawaye stated.
He noted there are at least 18 aspirants for the chairmanship, all of whom had supporters present at the protest.
Another protest leader, Mrs. Bola Ojetayo, lamented that party leaders often prioritise personal interests over the will of the people.
She said the protest aimed to prevent installation of an unfamiliar figure as the next council chairman.
“We must not sell our seat to outsiders. A stranger cannot come and lead us in our own home.
“Leaders can’t sit elsewhere and decide for us. Someone in Agege shouldn’t determine Ojokoro’s leadership,” Ojetayo said.
In response, Mr. James Owolabi, a former House of Representatives member, and APC stalwart in Ojokoro, urged protesters to remain peaceful and avoid violence.
Owolabi, who represented Ifako-Ijaiye Federal Constituency, acknowledged the concerns and affirmed their right to protest within the party.
“You have a voice in the party. Express yourselves peacefully without violence,” Owolabi advised.
Other APC leaders present included Mr Jelili Oseni, council chairman, and Ipoola Omisore, a former Lagos Assembly member.
Also in attendance were Alh. Amosu Aminu, Chief Oriyomi Olaogun, and Mr Akindele Aremu, among others.
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) had scheduled the local government elections for July 12, 2025.
