News Obiaks News

Three men, Qaudri Yekini, 23, Moses Osagie, 23, and Ebuka Anosike, 20, were, yesterday, remanded in prison custody by Magistrate T. Abolarinwa of an Apapa Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl (names withheld).
The defendants, who reside at Yaya Crescent, Ajegunle, Olodi Apapa area of Lagos, are facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful carnal knowledge and sexual assault proffered against them by the police. The prosecutor, Inspector Tony Idibe, told the court that the defendants committed the alleged offences between September and October 2015, before they were caught on October 11. Idibe also told the court that the incident took place at the residence of one of the defendants at about 11:50pm.
The prosecutor further told the court that before the accused persons were caught on October 11, they also made several attempts to sexually abuse her. They tried to rape the victim, by touching her private parts and also holding her without her consent. The offence, committed according to the prosecutor, is punishable under section 409,and 258(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them. Magistrate Abolarinwa granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200,000 with one responsible surety each in like sum. The case was further adjourned till November 25, 2015, for mention in the court.
In another news, armed men in military camouflage have been reported to kidnap a community leader, whose name is Chief Geoffrey Agorodi, at Ogbia Town, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The abduction, it was gathered by newsmen, occurred at about 8.30pm last Friday just some distance from Ogbia Town jetty. The four gunmen,  allegedly bundled Agorodi into a waiting speedboat and sped off after shooting sporadically to scare people that were standing nearby away.
Chairman of Ogbia clan, Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Worldwide, Mr. Osaanya B. Osaanya, had condemned the incident and he described it as one abduction too many in the council to bear. He told newsmen that the issue of “Kidnapping has become a worrisome development at Ogbia. Kidnappers have laid siege to our council and at the last count, over five persons were abducted in the past one month.
“This is unacceptable. Most of the victims were elderly men and women, including traditional rulers.” He urged youths to desist from crime and engage themselves in legitimate means of livelihoods. He insisted the increased spate of kidnapping is due to nothing other than lack of gainful employment, which would have kept the students out of the street and keep them busy. He also called on the state government and security agencies, especially the Police, to evolve a better productive approach of tackling criminality in the council.
While noting that the youths were prepared to partner with security agencies, he asked Ogbia local government council to float a security programme to check the trend. The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Asinim Butswat, confirmed the development, saying investigations were ongoing to unmask the identities of the abductors and rescue the victim.