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Marriage of 4yrs old minor to 54 yrs man criminal, illegal – Child Rights Groups

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Marriage of 4yrs old minor to 54 yrs man criminal, illegal – Child Rights Groups

Scores of Child Rights Advocacy groups in Bayelsa State, on Thursday, kicked against the traditional marriage between a four-year-old girl and a 54-year-old man at Akeddei community in Sagbama Local Government Area of the State.

The Child Rights advocacy groups including the Do Foundation, described the marriage as illegal, criminal and against the Constitution and the Child Rights Act.

WORLD WIDE GIST gathered that the marriage which happened on Tuesday between the minor and the 54-year-old man identified as Elder Akpos was at the instance of the girl’s parents claiming that the man was her husband in their previous life.

According to community sources, the girl claimed that the man was her husband who died mysteriously in their previous life and that over the years, she has been moving from place to place, to be birthed under different parents, searching for her former husband.

The source said, “The little bride said if she was not allowed to marry her husband, she would have no other business in the Akeddei community, and that she was going to die peacefully and go her way.”

“To avoid losing the girl to death, the people of Akeddei decided to organize a glamorous wedding ceremony to mark the union of the two previous life lovers.”

One of the Child Rights Advocacy groups, the Do Foundation, in a statement signed by Elvis Mannie Esq. Chairperson, DO FOUNDATION Bayelsa State, confirmed the development, insisting that the foundation has launched an investigation into the development with the hope of saving the child.

According to Elvis Mannie, in his official statement, “the Foundation described the said child marriage as horrendous and despicable, and also a criminal activity, capable of retarding the giant strides made by the government and people of Bayelsa State in the area of protection of child rights”

He noted that the Child’s Rights Law was domesticated in 2016 and is still in force in Bayelsa State, “This law criminalizes child marriages and child betrothals on pain of imprisonment and heavy fines.”

The Foundation called on the Government of Bayelsa State, the Gender Response Initiative Team and all stakeholders in the Gender Response system, including the security agencies to launch a thorough investigation into this unfortunate incident, with a view to the protection of the child from sexual exploitation and the arrest and prosecution of all persons found culpable in this despicable event”.

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Fake doctor arrested for organ trafficking, N21m fraud in Nasarawa

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Fake doctor arrested for organ trafficking, N21m fraud in Nasarawa

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a fake doctor, Igwe Gift Okechukwu, involved in criminal conspiracy, organ trafficking, fraud, cybercrime, stealing, impersonation, cheating, and identity theft.

The arrest was made in Nasarawa State by operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department following the suspect’s fraudulent activities in Owerri, Imo State.

The suspect, parading himself as Henry Ovie, a neurologist newly transferred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, tricked a point of sale (POS) operator, Anita Chinwe Mathias, into entering a code on her POS machine.

As a result, the entire sum of twenty-one million naira (N21,000,000) was withdrawn from her account, leading to a police report.

Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed the details of the arrest during a press conference in Abuja.

He outlined the suspect’s modus operandi, where he built trust with the victim, sent a significant amount to her account, and later tricked her into entering a code that facilitated the fraudulent withdrawal.

According to Adejobi, Anita, the complainant, narrated that the suspect used multiple identities and phone numbers, posing as Igwe Richard and Ovie Henry.

“She proceeded to state that on September 11, 2023, the suspect tricked her into entering a code on her POS machine, which she did due to the trust she had for him.

“After the suspect left her place, she noticed that all the money in her POS account was withdrawn, which amounted to the sum of twenty million naira (N21,000,000), and all efforts to reach out to the suspect proved abortive.

“She also went to the Federal Medical Centre, where the suspect claimed to be working, to ask about him and she was told that none of their doctors bears such a name. Immediately, she reported the case to the Force Criminal Investigation Department Abuja, where intelligent officers swung into action to arrest the suspect,” the statement reads in part.

Investigations revealed that the fake doctor had changed his phone number and relocated from Owerri to Lafia, Nasarawa State, where he was subsequently tracked and arrested.

It was further uncovered that the suspect is involved in organ trafficking, with links to a contact in Toronto, Canada.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, reiterated the commitment of the force to combating crimes and ensuring the safety and security of communities.

The IGP assured Nigerians that an extensive investigation is ongoing, and all perpetrators involved in this heinous act will be brought to justice and charged accordingly.

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Gunmen kidnap Imo monarch, Ohiri

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Gunmen kidnap Imo monarch, Ohiri

A group of unidentified gunmen have reportedly kidnapped Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri, the former chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers.

WORLD WIDE GIST gathered that the monarch was taken by the hoodlums from his home in Orodo Mbaitoli LGA, Imo State, early on Saturday morning.

The respected traditional ruler, who is the traditional ruler of the Orodo autonomous community in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo was reportedly carried to an undisclosed location by the mysterious gunmen, who have not released a statement or contacted the family.

A community source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent on Saturday that “His Royal Majesty, Former Ezeimo, Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri has been kidnapped by unknown persons from his residence at Odumara Orodo in Mbaitoli LGA Owerri, Imo State.”

He said the four-man gang, heavily armed, with a green-colored Toyota Highlander, kidnapped former Ezeimo while his cousin escaped. The kidnappers abducted Ezeimo and drove towards Umaka-Orlu road.

Confirming the ugly development Henry Okoye, Imo police command spokesperson, said the command has commenced an intense investigation.

He further said, “We have taken some affirmative steps towards ensuring that the victim is rescued and that his kidnappers are arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law. Updates on this case will be communicated in due course.”

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Boko Haram kills 5 in Yobe

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Boko Haram kills 5 in Yobe

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have killed four civilians and one member of a vigilante group in an attack on Unguwar Kori Kwari in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State.

WORLD WIDE GIST learnt that the terrorists invaded the area at about 3 am on Friday, slaughtering two and shooting two others dead. In addition, a member of a vigilante group was killed by an improvised explosive device planted by the terrorists, while two persons were injured.

Sources told WORLD WIDE GIST the victims were tied up before they were killed by the terrorists.

The corpses of the five deceased have been evacuated and deposited at the Yobe Specialist Hospital’s mortuary in Gaidam.

Unguwar Kori is a popular place for alcohol drinkers and commercial sex workers in Geidam town.

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