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Bayelsa Parents Defend Marriage Of 4-year-old Daughter To 54-year-old Man

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Bayelsa Parents Defend Marriage Of 4-year-old Daughter To 54-year-old Man

The parents of a four-year-old girl, who was recently controversially married to a 54-year-old man in the Akeddei community of Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, have defended the marriage.

The girl’s parents, the 54-year-old groom, the traditional ruler of the community and others, who participated in the marriage, were summoned by Bayelsa Government following a public outcry.

According to Vanguard, they appeared before the state government’s Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT) on Thursday to explain their roles in child marriage.

The team heard submissions from the father of the minor, Morris Aboma, the groom, Akpos Napoleon and the Paramount ruler, Chief Moneyman Binabo.

In their separate submissions before the government team, they all insisted that the purported child marriage was a traditional practice termed “Koripamo” aimed to save the little girl’s life.

Community Representatives React

They explained that it was a cultural practice in the Akeddei community, Oyakiri clan, that if a girl child always fell sick, a man would be required to drop a symbolic amount as a token to save the little girl from dying.

The community representatives said that what transpired between the little girl and Napoleon was not a marriage but an Ijaw cultural practice called ” Koripamo”.

They further explained that whenever the traditional rite of “Koripamo” was conducted, the man who paid the token was not required to take the girl as a wife.

According to the representatives, the traditional rite will also not stop the girl from marrying any man of her choice when she grows up to the age of marriage.

Father Speaks

The father of the child, Aboma, who spoke in Ijaw language, said his daughter was always sick to the point of death.

He said that according to Akeddei tradition, the only way to save her life is for a man to pay a symbolic price and save the child’s life and that it had nothing to do with a real marriage.

Groom Speaks

According to the “groom”, the outcry that trailed the rite is regrettable as all he did was just to save the child’s life as she is no longer sick again.

He said that such tradition had been going on but it had not been elaborately celebrated with fanfare like the Dec. 26, 2023 event, which drew widespread reactions and outrage.

“But since she says if I don’t do what she says, she will die, I had to look for money and do it since it involves life; as it is, I am frustrated by this whole issue,” Napoleon lamented.

Monarch Speaks

The paramount ruler of the Akeddei community, Binabo, said he heard of a marriage in the community during the festivities.

The traditional ruler said that he did not, however have full details, not until the DPO of Sagbama Police Station asked him to produce those that got married in the community.

Binabo further said he had to invite the parents of the little girl to get detailed information of what happened on the marriage day.

He said the parents told him that the little girl had been sick and that Napoleon had to drop a symbolic amount.

Binabo emphasised that what happened in the Akeddei community was not a formal marriage but a fulfilment of cultural practice.

He, however, said that what surprised him was the demand of the little girl for an elaborate ceremony involving food, a canopy and a sound system to be hired to celebrate the marriage.

The paramount ruler noted further that the man who paid the token to the girl was not expected to take her home to live as husband and wife, nor stop the girl from marrying any other person of her choice when she got old enough to marry.

Immediately after the meeting, the Chairman of GRIT, Ogbise-Goddy, stated that the deliberation was frank and fruitful and promised to give further updates on the matter.

She said that the Bayelsa Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Social Development and all stakeholders would review the situation and take a decision.

As I had stated earlier, the Bayelsa State Government is child-friendly and will do anything to protect all the children of the state from any form of perceived abuse,” he said.

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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.

Information in this email and any attachments is confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual(s) to whom it is addressed or otherwise directed. If you are not the recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking action in relation of the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.

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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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