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Atrociously Evil! He was only 12 when he was left to rot in prison

How did a 12-year-old get here?? What kind of system will allow a mere preteen to remain incarcerated for 10 years without trial and without giving a hoot? And when did 12-year-olds start going to jail and mixing with hardened criminals? Emeka’s story is the story of our unfeeling, calloused and broken justice system.

July 11 was supposed to be a routine prison visit for Alex Umuchioke Ogoke, a lawyer with the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria and Leeds Legal Firm. Ogoke had walked into that Nigerian correctional facility in Imo State to request the usual list of indigent inmates in need of pro bono legal representation.

He did not expect to find a gaunt, sickly young man slumped by the records desk, begging the officers for money to buy garri. Ogoke was taken aback by how young and how sick the boy looked. So, he requested his case file.

The officers told Ogoke the boy’s name was Emeka Nzeruike. He was hungry but he had no family. His case file shocked Ogoke. “I asked how long he had been in custody, and they said since 2015. I asked his age. He said 22,” Ogoke recounted. “That meant he was just 12 when he was arrested.”

Nzeruike had spent a decade behind bars, without trial, without conviction, and without anyone checking on him. He had simply vanished into the cracks of Nigeria’s criminal justice system. The deeper Ogoke looked, the more disturbing the details he found.

EMEKA, THE BOY ALONE

Nzeruike was arrested in 2015 in Imo, alongside an adult, for stealing. Both were charged and granted bail by a magistrate in Iho.

While the other suspect’s family secured a surety and got him out almost immediately, Nzeruike remained locked up.

“He had no one,” said Ogoke. “His mother was already dead, and his father had remarried and moved to Benue State. He never once came to visit Emeka. Not in ten years.”

When the lawyer eventually tracked Nzeruike’s father down, he learnt that the man had no relationship with his son and even if he did, he was too poor to have rescued him anyway.

Nzeruike himself had told the lawyer that he had not seen his father in the four years leading up to his arrest. As a lonely 12-year-old, he was stuck in prison with no one to bail him out and no way to meet his bail conditions.

Determined to find some kind of family link, Umuchioke travelled to Nzeruike’s ancestral village in Ikeduru. There, he met the boy’s grandmother, the only relative he remembered.

“I had to go to Emeka’s village, Ikeduru, and I found his grandmother, the only person he knew before prison. She was shocked. She thought I was coming to tell her Emeka had died. She lives in abject poverty, surviving by farming other people’s land,” Ogoke recounted.

She kept asking, “Is he really alive?”

DIE OF HUNGER OR DIE OF BEATING: GLIMPSE INTO PRISON LIFE

In prison, Nzeruike had learnt to survive in brutal ways.

“People told me that whenever food vendors came, Emeka would snatch a piece of bread and eat while they beat him,” the lawyer said. “He told me he had nothing to lose. It was either die of hunger or die from beating.”

The first time he ever bought soap, he told Ogoke, was the day he gave him some money.

The details of Nzeruike’s story in prison are not surprising.

According to the 2025 Appropriation Bill, the federal government allocates just N1,270 (about $0.84) per day to feed each inmate across Nigeria. That figure is over N500 short of what it costs to provide one healthy meal. A single healthy meal according to the NBS costs an estimated N1,651 per serving.

BROKEN JUSTICE SYSTEM

The lawyer said this case was one of the hardest he has ever handled. For days, he chased leads at the wrong magistrate’s court.

“We were going to the wrong division entirely,” Ogoke said. “The records said one thing, but Emeka remembered being taken somewhere else as a child.”

It turned out the case was filed in the Iho Magistrate Court, not Nwabosi as previously thought. Ogoke said, “We finally found the court that charged him and pulled out the record. He had been granted bail all along.”

Record-keeping failures, Ogoke said, are rampant. Even worse are the distortions that happen at the earliest stage of prosecution. These errors, according to the lawyer, are courtesy of the police.

“In similar cases to Nzeruike’s, the police write 18 or 19 on the charge sheet. It’s a common trick to bypass child protection laws. And magistrates often don’t question it,” the lawyer explained.

FIJ has reported how overcrowded courts, limited judicial capacity and the sheer volume of cases cause severe delays. At press time, Nigeria has an estimated six judges per million citizens. For the poorest detainees, this often means indefinite incarceration.

“When I went to pick Emeka up from prison after his discharge,” Ogoke said, “another minor was being brought in. His name was Onyemachi Amadi. He had just been remanded for allegedly stealing palm kernel oil.”

The lawyer said that more than half of prison inmates today were either innocent or victims of police oppression. “I’m currently handling the case of 14 boys from the North. They were picked up randomly at a junction, held at the station for five days, then dumped in prison. They’ve now been there for over two months. This is how it starts. Two months, then four, then a year.”

Ogoke continued: “These people are too poor to afford legal help. Some are even breadwinners. So their detention devastates entire families. That’s why we keep calling for criminal justice reform.”

ANOTHER CHANCE AT LIFE

Today, Nzeruike is finally free but the scars are deep. He is currently in hospital, receiving treatment for malnutrition and rashes.

The lawyer told FIJ that he and his team were arranging therapy.

“He’s lost in this world,” Ogoke said. “He doesn’t understand what’s happening around him. After therapy, we’ll ask him what he wants, whether to go to school, learn a skill, or both and support him.”

For the first time, the lawyer made a public call for support. Donations have poured in through the law firm’s account, helping to fund Nzeruike’s recovery.

But the bigger questions remain unanswered: How many more boys are locked away, forgotten by both state and family? How many others never get a visit from a lawyer?

Ogoke concluded with a plea:

“Magistrates must be more circumspect when ruling on minors. Courts should be mindful of inmates like Emeka who are technically free but cannot perfect bail because they have no one.

“And I say this to fellow lawyers—visit detention centres. Take up pro bono cases. People are suffering. We need more people to join this fight.”

This article was originally published on 31.07.2025 by Foundation for Investigative Journalism

See how misuse of Cybercrime Act cost Nigeria N1.1trn in 7 yrs

  • The financial sector lost N53.4bn to cybercriminals in 2024

By Prince Osuagwu

Despite the existence of the Nigerian Cybercrimes (Prevention, Prohibition, etc.) and Amendment Act of 2024, Nigeria’s cyberspace has faced escalating challenges in recent years, with cyberattacks inflicting substantial financial losses on banks, telecommunications companies, and government institutions.

Yet, even as the threats escalate, the government appears to pay passive attention, and the country’s enforcement agents are seemingly misdirecting their activities towards suppressing dissent rather than bolstering cybersecurity.

Although the security agencies have flatly denied that they are misapplying enforcement of the act, branding those holding such opinions as ignorant, civil society activists and notable lawyers are insisting that it’s either the agencies are not conversant with the letters of the Act or totally mischievous, with the manner they’re going about harassing social critics in the name of the Act.

The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, told Vanguard: “It is ignorant to say we are hiding under the Cybercrime Act to suppress dissent.

In fact, the truth is that many people are not conversant with the Cybercrime Act until one or two people were arrested and prosecuted.

“Our activities have now awakened their consciousness and awareness of the law, particularly in cyber-bullying or stalking and the likes”.

But, prominent lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Kunle Edun, SAN, in a response, said: “Sadly, most of these cases are never concluded because government officials or rich men allegedly defamed or cyber-stalked, never come to court to testify. This is abuse of power and the courts must never encourage it.

 “The weaponization of the Cybercrimes Act by investigating and prosecuting agencies is only meant to decimate dissenting voices.

“Charges of cyber-stalking and cyber-bulling are often filed to intimidate critics of government, politically exposed persons and businessmen, which is contrary to the letters and spirit of Section 39 of the Constitution, which provides that every Nigerian shall have a right to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.

“Section 39(2) of the same Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to own and operate any medium for the dissemination of  information, ideas and opinions.

“Sedition is no longer a law in Nigeria. By virtue of the afore-cited provisions of the Constitution, public criticism of government and public officials is a constitutional right and can never be criminalized.

“Sadly, the EFCC, DSS and the Police continue to major in the minor, while billions of naira have been lost in the banking and finance industry because of the activities of electronic fraudsters, popularly called yahoo yahoo boys. They do far more damage to the economy and image of the country.”

Financial sector losses

The financial sector has been particularly vulnerable to cyber threats. Between 2017 and 2023, Nigerian financial institutions, including commercial banks, fintech firms and network service providers, were reported to have suffered losses exceeding N1.1 trillion due to various cyber threats such as hacking, ransomware, and malware attacks.

In one notable incident in September 2022, cyber-criminals exploited vulnerabilities in an old-generation bank, transferring N523.337 million from a customer’s account to 18 different accounts within the same bank over a three-day period.

A top official at Cybervergent, a renowned global cybersecurity technology company, told Vanguard that in 2024, Nigeria’s financial sector faced an unprecedented wave of cyberattacks that exposed critical vulnerabilities, letting cybercriminals steal over N53.4 billion.

The hard truth

The source said: “The hard truth is that last year was marked by high-profile breaches that shook the banking sector to its core. One of the most devastating incidents involved a Tier-1 Nigerian bank, where hackers siphoned N10 billion in a single attack. The fallout was so severe that a Federal High Court ordered the freezing of over 800 accounts suspected of being linked to the fraud. Similarly, another leading financial institution was fined N555.8 million by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, NDPC, for failing to protect customers’ data. Other banks and financial institutions also faced hefty penalties for cybersecurity lapses, resulting in significant financial and reputational damage.

“These breaches underscore a harsh reality that despite rapid digitization, Nigerian banks remain alarmingly vulnerable to cyber threats. For customers, the impact is deeply personal; savings wiped out, investments lost and financial stability shattered. At least in 2024 alone, cybercriminals went away with over N53.4 billion of financial sector’s money. With that, the message is clear: cybersecurity is no longer a luxury; it is an absolute necessity.”

Broader economic impact

Cyber-attacks are not just a threat to individual institutions; they are also a threat to Nigeria’s economic stability and growth.

The ripple effects of these cyber-attacks on the financial sector, is the erosion of trust in digital banking which has even pushed many Nigerians back to cash transactions, stalling the country’s progress towards financial inclusion.

However, the attacks extend far beyond the banking sector. The telecommunications sector has also been targeted, with cyberattacks disrupting services and compromising user data. Government agencies have equally been attacked, with valuable and critical country secret information compromised.

These breaches not only erode trust but also pose significant financial burdens due to the costs associated with mitigating them, and potential regulatory fines they can attract.

For instance, the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, was said to have once allocated N35 million to bolster its cybersecurity defences after a hack.

According to the Consumer Awareness and Financial Enlightenment Initiative, CAIEI, such incidents highlight the broader economic toll of cybercrime, which could cost Nigeria an estimated $6 trillion by 2030.

Passive government attention

Incidentally, the Federal Government is aware that Nigeria is vulnerable to cyberattacks.

The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, at a workshop for policymakers and sector regulators on critical national information infrastructure protection and resilience in Abuja, recently, admitted that urgent steps must be taken, else, criminals will overrun the country’s cyber space.

He said the country recently faced numerous attacks on its installations.

Hear him: “We are now confronted with heightened threats of attacks on our telecommunications systems, banking platforms, power and energy grids, military networks, transportation systems, national databases, elections, digital systems, and other critical assets.

“We are also confronted with threats of online financial scams and fraud perpetuated by nefarious individuals and groups within and outside the country, which is persistently denting our economy and, indeed, our international image.

“This, and other attacks on military networks, national database and digital system, among others, have a ripple effect on the nation’s economy.

Misapplication of the Cybercrimes Act

While cyber threats escalate, enforcement of the Cybercrimes Act has often been alleged to tilt towards silencing government critics:

In December 2024, lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi was arrested following allegations of defamation linked to his book critiquing Nigeria’s criminal justice system. His detention sparked nationwide protests and debates over freedom of expression.

Also in December 2024, social media activist, Olamide Thomas, was arrested and charged under the Cybercrimes Act for allegedly “insulting” President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s son, Seyi, on Facebook. Thomas had criticized Seyi’s alleged influence on government contracts, prompting swift action from law enforcement.

A popular Tiktoker, Olumide Ogunsanwo, also known as “Seaking”, was recently arrested for making a viral video, speaking against the extension of the IGP’s tenure in office. Immediately, the video hit the airwaves, he was promptly arrested and detained. It took the intervention of journalist and activist, Omoyele Sowore and his team’s prompt rejection of the initial bail condition requiring a Level 12 or 10 civil servants, to force a swift agreement to administrative bail, before he was released from Police custody.

In 2019, Sowore himself was arrested and charged with treason, money laundering, and cybercrime offenses after organizing the #RevolutionNow protest. The charges included granting interviews aimed at causing insult and ill-will towards the President.

In 2023, facebook user, Chioma Okoli, was arrested for publishing an ‘offensive’ review of a particular brand of tomatoes on her facebook page.

Okoli, on September 17, published a product review on her Facebook page, saying “I went to buy tinned tomatoes yesterday that I will use to make stew. I didn’t see Gino and Sonia.

“So, I decided to buy this one. When I opened it, I decided to taste it. Omo! Sugar was just too much. Ha, biko, let me know if you have used this tinned tomato before because this is an Ike gwuru situation.”

Although the makers of the said tomato paste dismissed her claims as untrue, they went ahead to arrest and detain her for several months, even when it was claimed the woman was pregnant.

Dangers of improperly aligned enforcement

The list of these diversions of cybersecurity resources towards suppressing dissent is endless but the unfortunate reality is that it has several detrimental effects, including increased vulnerability, economic losses, and systemic distrust, among other negative impacts.

A renowned lawyer and social critic, Mr Nwachukwu Odoemelam said that with attention focused on critics, genuine cyber threats may go unaddressed, leaving critical infrastructure and financial systems exposed.

He added that “unmitigated cyberattacks can lead to significant financial losses, affecting economic stability and investor confidence. That is even as public trust in digital systems and government institutions may decline if citizens perceive that laws are enforced selectively.

Securing Nigeria’s Cyberspace

To enhance Nigeria’s cybersecurity posture, Odoemelam advocated refocusing of enforcement strategy, strengthening of infrastructure, promoting transparency and genuine and deliberate engagement of critical stakeholders across related ecosystems

For him, Nigeria is not a lost case when it comes to the issue of porous cyberspace.

He said the ability to re-energise efforts towards prioritising the application of the Cybercrimes Act would determine how easy it would be to mitigate genuine cyber threats rather than political dissent.

“We must also ensure that actions taken under the Cybercrimes Act are transparent and subject to judicial oversight to prevent misuse. Most importantly, there should be a deliberate effort to foster collaboration among government agencies, private sector entities, and civil society to develop comprehensive cybersecurity strategies,” he added.

Abusing the cyberstalking provision of the Act

However, it appears the security agencies are depending more on Section 24 of the Act which deals with cyberstalking.

That section of the Act outlines various acts that constitute this offence.

They include:  Sending Offensive Messages: Knowingly or intentionally sending a message that is offensive, obscene, or menacing, with penalties including a fine of up to N7,000,000 or imprisonment for up to 3 years.

– Sending False Messages: Knowingly or intentionally sending a false message to cause annoyance, inconvenience, or anxiety, with similar penalties.

– Bullying, Threatening, or Harassing: Transmitting communications to bully, threaten, or harass another person, placing them in fear of death, violence, or bodily harm, with penalties including imprisonment for up to 10 years and/or a minimum fine of N25,000,000.

– Threats to kidnap or harm: Transmitting communications containing threats to kidnap or harm another person, with penalties including imprisonment for up to 10 years and/or a minimum fine of N25,000,000.

– Threats to Harm Property or Reputation: Transmitting communications containing threats to harm property or reputation, with penalties including imprisonment for up to 5 years and/or a minimum fine of N15,000,000.

Source: Vanguard

At last! Abducted Nigerian Law School Students regain freedom

It’s good news at last, following the announcement of the Benue Command of the Nigeria Police Force that five of the abducted law students of the Yola Campus who were abducted on July 26, 2025, have been released

One of the six Nigerian Law School students was earlier released, leaving five.

The students were abducted on Saturday while traveling from Onitsha, Anambra State, to the Yola campus of the Nigerian Law School in Adamawa State.

They were returning to campus to resume academic activities following their court externship break, with lectures set to recommence on Monday.

The abduction took place along the volatile stretch between Wukari in Taraba State and parts of Benue State.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that their abductors had demanded a ransom payment of N100 million from their parents before they could be released.

However, in a statement on Friday, the police said the students had been rescued and reunited with their families.

The command’s spokesperson, Edet Udeme, didn’t provide details about their release, but said they were safely released and reunited with their families on August 1, 2025.

She said, “Police authorities confirmed the rescue, assuring the public of their commitment to ensuring the safety of lives and property.”

Wildlife Alert! Elephant kills farmer in Ogun after Hippopotamus attacks in Adamawa

In a tragic continuation of escalating human and wildlife conflicts, a wandering elephant from a government forest reserve has reportedly killed a farmer in the Imobi area of Ijebu East Local Government, Ogun State.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Forestry, Taiwo Oludotun, who confirmed the incident on Tuesday, said, “Yes, we are aware and already en route to the affected community.”

This fatal attack came barely hours after displaced hippopotamuses wreaked havoc in Guyuk and Shelleng Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Adamawa State, resulting in the death of a man.

On Monday, the Chairman of Guyuk LGA, Shalom Kassa, disclosed that a young man was killed by one of the hippos in the Banjiram community.

According to him, the hippopotamuses had been forced out of their natural habitat by flooding around the Kiri Dam in Shelleng, and are now encroaching upon farmlands, riverbanks, and residential areas, instilling widespread fear among locals.

“This is a grave threat to human lives and livelihoods. The animals are destroying farms, entering flooded homes, and putting both residents and livestock at risk,” Kassa warned.

In a proactive move, Kassa, along with Shelleng LGA Chairman Abubakar Abba and key traditional rulers — including the Kwandi Nunguraya of Guyuk, Kuruhaye — visited the state government in Yola to seek urgent intervention.

Kassa highlighted that residents are unable to defend themselves, citing stringent wildlife protection laws that prohibit harming or killing such animals.

“We call on the state Ministry of Environment, wildlife authorities, and all relevant agencies to intervene promptly before more lives are lost,” he pleaded.

He also extended condolences to families affected by recent flooding in Yola town, where five persons were confirmed dead and 55 hospitalised.

Responding to the delegation, Secretary to the State Government, Awwal Tukur, assured them of the government’s commitment to addressing the emergency.

Credit: NewsIndicator

Security is a right, not a privilege —NBA President

  • Urges collective action in fighting insecurity and strengthening justice delivery

With insecurity dominating national discourse and Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, insisting that security has greatly improved, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, has stressed that security is a fundamental right for all Nigerians and not a privilege subject to discretion.

This is even as the fate of six Nigerian Law School students who were kidnapped last Saturday in Benue State by suspected gunmen while travelling from Onitsha, Anambra State, to the Yola campus of the Nigerian Law School in Adamawa State remains unclear.

Osigwe made this assertion at the NBA North-Central Security Summit held in Makurdi, Benue State.

The summit, titled “Strengthening Security, Rule of Law, and Justice Delivery in North-Central Nigeria,” was organized in collaboration with the Benue State Government and brought together key stakeholders from across the region.

Delivering the keynote address, Osigwe referenced Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution, stressing that national security is a constitutional duty of the state. He raised concern over the worsening security situation in the region, pointing to the recent abduction of six law students en route to law school and the massacre of more than 200 residents in Benue’s Yelewata community.

“These are not isolated tragedies. They reflect a larger breakdown in our security framework,” he said, urging for a focus on intelligence-gathering and proactive, collaborative responses involving all stakeholders.

Osigwe called on policymakers, security operatives, traditional rulers, and legal practitioners to develop sustainable, community-based strategies to restore peace and justice in the region.

“Security is everyone’s responsibility,” he noted. “And it begins with strong, courageous conversations like the ones we are having at this summit.”

He expressed hope that the summit would lead to concrete policy actions aimed at combating insecurity and improving justice delivery in the North-Central zone and beyond.

Kwara High Court sentences Islamic cleric to death by hanging over death of Hafsoh Lawal

A High Court in Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara State, has sentenced a self-acclaimed Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Bello, to death by hanging for killing Hafsoh Lawal, a final year student of the College of Education, Ilorin.

He was accused of killing and dismembering the body of a final-year student in connivance with four others.

‎Delivering her judgement on Thursday, Justice Hannah Ajayi, however, set free four other defendants and cleared them of any wrongdoing.

‎Charged on five counts, the judge started by exonerating the four out of the five defendants— Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Jamiu Uthman, Suleiman Muyideen and Abdulrahman Jamiu of any complicity and eventually declared them free of taking part in the death of the victim.

Justice Ajayi, who described the offence by the prime suspect as the highest degree of human wickedness and a cruel act, held that his defence in court showed he had a preconceived intention of killing the victim for money-making ritual purposes.

She equally held that the confession of love by the convict for the victim, with the intention to marry her, as stated in his defence, was a concocted lie to deceive the court.

Her Lordship further stated that the attitude of the convict after committing the crime and before his arrest by law enforcement officers suggested that it may not have been his first time engaging in such an act.

The court also held that video and written evidence taken by officers of the DSS and police from the convict duly complied with the laws of the state.

It also held that no evidence substantiated the convict’s claim of being beaten or sustaining bloodstains due to police brutality.

The judge added that the convict did not present himself as a witness of truth, “because all what he said to deny allegations against him were afterthoughts”. More so, a book containing secrets of money-making charms was found in his apartment.

Justice Hannah Ajayi, who took a moment while delivering the judgment to admonish members of the public — especially young adults — on the bad influence of social media, said the victim might have been alive if she had informed family, friends, or relatives of her movement or visit to a Facebook male friend before she was killed.

The incident occurred on February 10, 2025, at Olunlade Area of Ilorin, Kwara State. The case has since attracted significant public attention both within and outside the state.

Justice Ajayi found the convict guilty of being in possession of human parts and human blood and sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment, with an option of a ₦100,000 fine or a six-month jail term.

The court, which freed the convict of the rape charge, however, found him guilty of killing and dismembering the body of the victim and thus sentenced him to death by hanging.

The convict and four others who have now been discharged were accused of conspiring to engage in the removal of her body parts, draining her blood, and being in possession of human parts and blood.

The five-count charge includes:

COUNT ONE: That you Abdulrahman Bello, Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muhydeen, Jamiu Uthman, and Abdulrahman Jamiu on or about 10th February, 2025, at Olunlade Area, Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired to commit an illegal act, to wit; conspired to cause the death of one Hafsat Yetunde Adefalu and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code, CAP. P4, Laws of Kwara State 2006.

COUNT TWO: That you Abdulrahman Bello, Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muhydeen, Jamiu Uthman, and Abdulrahman Jamiu on or about 10th February, 2025, at Olunlade Area, Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an illegal act, to wit: caused the death of one Hafsat Yetunde Adefalu, then dismembered her body and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 221 of the Penal Code, CAP. P4, Laws of Kwara State 2006.

COUNT THREE: That you Abdulrahman Bello, Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muhydeen, Jamiu Uthman, and Abdulrahman Jamiu on or about 10th February, 2025, at Olunlade Area, Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired to commit an illegal act, to wit: conspired to engage in the removal of human parts; found in possession of human parts; engaged in the draining of human blood and found in possession of human blood, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 9 and punishable under Section 12(a) of the Kwara State Prohibition of Dealing in Human Parts Law, Laws of Kwara State, 2018.

COUNT FOUR: That you Abdulrahman Bello, Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muhydeen, Jamiu Uthman, and Abdulrahman Jamiu on or about 10th February, 2025, at Olunlade Area, Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an illegal act, to wit: you engaged in the removal of human parts; found in possession of human parts; engaged in the draining of human blood and found in possession of human blood, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 7(a)-(d) and punishable under Section 12(a) of the Kwara State Prohibition of Dealing in Human Parts Law, Laws of Kwara State, 2018.

COUNT FIVE: That you Abdulrahman Bello on or about 10th February, 2025, at Olunlade Area, Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an illegal act, to wit: you raped one Hafsat Yetunde Adefalu and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 283 of the Penal Code, CAP. P4, Laws of Kwara State.

16-year-old boy kills stepmother, man stabs father in Adamawa

The Adamawa State Police Command said its officers are investigating two separate incidents of culpable homicide arising from domestic violence in Madagali and Gombi local government areas.

Spokesperson for the command, SP Suleiman Nguroje, in a statement issued on Wednesday, disclosed that the first incident occurred in Pallam District, Madagali.

According to the statement, a preliminary investigation showed that a physical confrontation erupted between two co-wives, Rhoda Anthony, aged 55, and Victoria Anthony, aged 36, both married to one Anthony Pallam.

“During the altercation, Victoria’s son, Ijai Anthony, aged 16, reportedly struck his stepmother, Rhoda Anthony, on the head with a piece of wood, causing her to collapse, upon receiving the report the Divisional Police officer Madagali Promptly mobilised to the scene and rushed the victim to Cottage Hospital Madagali, but was later confirmed dead while receiving treatment,” the statement read.

He said that the suspect and his mother had been taken into protective custody as the investigation progressed.

The statement added, “In another similar tragic incident occurred in Fotta District, Gombi Local Government Area.

“The Command received a distress report that one Idi Buba attacked his biological father, Buba Jelli, by stabbing him on the neck and back with a knife, following a domestic altercation.

“The victim was immediately rushed to the Primary Health Care Centre in Fotta, where he sadly died while receiving treatment.”

Nguroje confirmed that the suspect was arrested at the scene, and the knife used in the attack had also been recovered and would be treated as an exhibit against the suspect.

The Commissioner of Police, Adamawa State Command, CP Dankombo Morris, has condemned these acts of violence, especially those involving family members.

He called on all residents to always exercise restraint, avoid taking the law into their hands, and seek peaceful means in resolving conflicts.

He said that investigations were ongoing and that the suspects would be arraigned upon completion of the investigations.

PUNCH

24-year-old woman arrested over alleged butchering, selling body parts of pregnant nurse to native doctor

A 24-year-old female, Somtochukwu Nwafor has been apprehended by the Anambra State Police Command for the gruesome murder and dismemberment of a pregnant nurse in Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area of the state.

The arrest, made on July 25, 2025, was facilitated by members of the Umueri village in the Ogbunike community after the victim’s mutilated remains were found dumped in a soakaway pit days earlier, sparking public outrage and fear.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga in a statement shared on Facebook on Wednesday, the suspect confessed to being the girlfriend of the prime suspect, one Chiemerie Elobisi, who is on the run.

She also admitted to being called in after the crime to clean up the blood and further disclosed that the body parts were sold to native doctors involved in ritual practices.

The statement said, “The Anambra State Police Command leveraging on the assistance of the Umueri village, Ogbunike community members on 25th July 2025 arrested one female suspect, Somtochukwu Nwafor aged 24 years.

“The arrest is in connection with the gruesome murder of a pregnant nurse, whose mutilated body was recently discovered in a soakaway pit at Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.

“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to being the girlfriend of the prime suspect one Chiemerie Obika Elobisi from the same village, but currently at large. She stated that she was called by the suspect to clean the blood stains after the victim was murdered. She further revealed how they sell the body parts to different evil native doctors in the area.

“Also, preliminary information shows that the victim, a trained nurse was lured by the murderer to his house under the guise of seeking medication.

“Given the information from the suspect, Operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in the early hours of 29th July 2025, burst a shrine of an identified native doctor, Nwafor Chibunna Ofornwatadile from Itima Amawa Village, Ogbunike and recovered suspected human body parts, concealed in cellophane (nylon) bags.

“However, the Command has launched a manhunt for the prime suspect, along with the suspected receivers and collaborators.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, described the act as “inhumane, criminal, and an affront to public morality and the sanctity of life,” assuring the public that a full investigation is ongoing.

“A manhunt has been launched for Elobisi and other accomplices involved in the killing and trafficking of human parts.”

The CP urged anyone with useful information to come forward, assuring the public that informants’ identities would be fully protected.

The Conclave

On “Sexually Provocative Dresses”, By Olusegun Adeniyi

My alma mater, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has recently been in the news for what can only be described as a masterclass in how not to major in minors. First, in June 2025, the University Council approved a ‘revised dress code’ that reads like a manual for moral fascism. Then, after the document went viral and attracted widespread condemnation, the university issued a damage-control press statement, claiming that what is in the public domain was not the ‘official’ version approved by Council. The leaked code prescribes rustication for one semester for ‘heavy make-ups’, ‘rumpled and dirty clothes’, ‘multi-coloured braids for female’, ‘dread locks’, ‘unconventional wearing of face cap’, ‘off-shoulder clothes’, ‘haircuts with inscriptions’, ‘nose, mouth, eye, extra rings’, ‘tattoo/indelible markings for male’ etc. Two semesters of rustication await students guilty of sporting ‘coloured hair styles’ or ‘sprangled hair style for male’ and other such ‘infractions.’

I have read both the Council decision extract dated 13th June 2025 and the university’s subsequent disclaimer of 25th July 2025, and quite frankly, I find the entire episode appalling. Not just as an alumnus of this once-great institution, but as a Nigerian who understands the enormity of challenges facing our educational system. Promising to release an “official” dress code after their previous version proved embarrassing is an indication that authorities at Ife continue to miss the point. The problem is not about the version of the dress code in circulation but the existence of such an elaborate moral policing mechanism in the first place. Here is the issue: When those who are supposed to be seeking practical solutions to the problems of society spend productive hours deliberating over whether it is appropriate for students to wear ‘tattered jeans’, then there is something profoundly disturbing about the intellectual space in our country.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. It is part of a troubling pattern across Nigerian universities that have become obsessed with regulating student appearance rather than improving their academic standards. A few have even ventured into issuing decrees on relationships and social interactions. The result is a system where young adults, people old enough to marry and make life-altering decisions, are treated like children. Meanwhile, the leaked Ife document followed months of committee deliberations, administrative processes and legal reviews to determine that “indecent dress” should replace “sexually provocative dresses” in their moral lexicon. In fact, the Council sat for two days (Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th June 2025) according to their own document. Imagine if this energy had been channelled toward improving academic standards, updating curricula etc. Instead, we have administrators who spend their time crafting elaborate punishment matrices for “unconventional wearing of face cap” by university students!

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the leaked dress code is its selective interpretation of culture and decency. The university’s disclaimer promises an official version “directed at enhancing academic sensibilities, social decency and ethical standards in line with the University’s motto.” How does policing a female’s appearance promote academic sensibilities? Meanwhile, the same university that prohibits dreadlocks, a hairstyle with deep cultural and spiritual significance in many African traditions, claims to be preserving “cultural ethos” in line with its motto: “For learning and culture”. This is not cultural preservation; it is the imposition of narrow-mindedness on young people who should be encouraged to explore and express their cultural identity. In case the Ife lawgivers are not aware, in Yoruba cultural symbolism, cowries represent prosperity and femininity.

A careful reading of the leaked dress code reveals something deeper. While male students face restrictions mainly around hairstyles and general appearance, female students bear the brunt of this moral anxiety. From “backless clothes” to “micro/mini/skimpy dress,” and “crop/jump tops”, the female body becomes a site of moral panic and institutional control. This reflects a broader societal problem where women’s bodies are seen as inherently problematic, requiring constant regulation and supervision. It perpetuates the toxic notion that women are responsible for men’s moral failings and that female sexuality is inherently dangerous to social order.

The university justifies these restrictions on security grounds, arguing that certain forms of dress “obscure identification” and pose “serious security problems.” This argument might hold water if our universities were secure environments. But these are the same institutions where cultists operate with impunity, examination malpractices are endemic, ‘Yahoo Boys’ reign supreme and sexual harassment by lecturers go unpunished. If university administrators were genuinely concerned about security, they would invest in proper infrastructure, implement effective monitoring systems, and create safe spaces for students to report crimes. Instead, they choose the easier path of regulating hemlines and hairstyles.

Let me paint a picture of Nigeria’s university system today. We have institutions where students are sheltered in dilapidated buildings, classrooms are overcrowded, libraries lack current books, laboratory materials are antiquated, and brilliant minds are stifled by archaic teaching methods. Rather than act as centres of scientific inquiry and objective scepticism, our universities are becoming big bureaucracies, which perhaps explains why in most of them, the number of administrative staff is five or six times the number of academic staff. The larger issue underpinning this is governance, especially the status of the University Councils, now peopled mostly by politicians rather than tested professionals who have achieved significant success in their respective careers. The tradition in developed countries is that the best and brightest citizens and experienced and knowledgeable people are selected to serve as Council members and particularly the chair in universities.

As I wrote in a two-part column, ‘The Case Against ASUU’ in August 2022, tackling the challenge of tertiary education in Nigeria goes beyond the salaries of lecturers. We need to improve the environment: Functional libraries and laboratories, up to date journals, access to technology, research grants, etc. Since these would require imaginative leadership, University Councils obsessed with students wearing ‘Bomb shorts’ would not know how to access funds from donations, endowments, professional chairs, gifts, grants, consultancy services, etc. They would also be bereft of ideas as to how to attract quality academic staff, provide necessary teaching aids, and ensure a conducive learning environment for students.

If we are to develop, authorities in Nigeria must take a hard look at the governance of our institutions of higher learning and put in place appropriate rules and policies that are progressive and fair regarding the choice of Council members. We don’t need people who issue decrees on dressing in an environment that ordinarily should attract young learners who question assumptions and challenge established norms.

Unfortunately, this obsession with dress codes reflects a broader malaise––the preference for cosmetic solutions over substantive reforms. In our country today, people in leadership positions, in practically all spheres and across all levels, spend considerable time on things that do not matter while neglecting the important things that would make a world of difference in the lives of people. In an unusual X (formerly Twitter) post on Tuesday that could easily pass for diplomatic activism, the United States Mission in Nigeria wrote: “While Nigerians are urged to endure economic hardship ‘like labor pains,’ some governors are splurging billions on new government houses.” They referenced ‘TheAfricaReport’ that highlights gross mismanagement of scarce resources on misplaced priorities. “Such alleged lack of fiscal responsibility fuels inequality and erodes public trust.”

The real concern is that this predisposition cuts across all strata of our society and manifests in different forms. Last Thursday, on the outskirts of Jos, Gad Shamaki (a colleague in the fact-finding panel on the killings in Plateau State), and I encountered a soldier using a big pair of scissors to cut the dreadlocks of a young man at a military checkpoint. Of course, it is easier to cut the dreadlocks of a defenceless man than to battle armed criminals. This same mindset accounts for what now happens on the campuses. We all know that it is simpler to regulate skirt lengths than to improve teaching quality and more convenient to police makeup than to provide cutting-edge knowledge.

That most of our universities rank dismally in global indices is no longer news. Yet, those who run them continue to congratulate themselves for maintaining “moral standards”. But we cannot continue like this. Our universities need leadership that understands the difference between education and indoctrination and between guidance and control. And our students need institutions that prepare them for the complexities of modern life, not ones that shelter them from the realities of human diversity and expression.

Let me be very clear. I abhor indecency in whatever form. And I say this with every sense of responsibility as head of the youth department in my parish. But universities are not Mosques or Churches. They are for critical thinking and sometimes non-conformity. The energy currently being wasted on regulating student appearance should be redirected toward addressing the real challenges facing our educational system: inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, obsolete curricula, and declining academic standards. These are the issues that deserve council deliberations, committee reviews, and urgent attention.

As I write this piece, I am reminded of the ‘Great Ife’ I knew as a student––an institution that prided itself on intellectual rigour and progressive thinking. A university that challenged conventional wisdom and pushed boundaries. I cannot remember ‘inspectors’ checking whether my shirt was rumpled or anyone criminalising “unwelcome touching, kissing and hugging” at Mozambique Hall (‘motherless babies home’) or Moremi Hall (‘babylessmothers home’). Yet, most of us have not done badly after leaving Ife.

The time has come for the administrators on our campuses to stop majoring in minors by focusing on what truly matters: educating young minds for the challenges of today and tomorrow. Our universities must choose what they want to be: Institutions of higher learning or centres of moral surveillance. They cannot be both.

● Mission X Accomplished!

Although the Voice of Nigeria (VON) management has apologised for the international embarrassment of last Saturday, it is difficult to explain how a reporter would concoct a story and back it up with fabricated quotes. Until the 64th minute, the Moroccans were leading Nigeria by two goals to nil in the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). But by then, the VON reporter had seen enough to lose faith in the capacity of the Super Falcons to fight back. In the process, he also lost faith in his country. So, he filed a story that had only just begun!

Let’s take a little bit from the ‘news’. After a lengthy commentary on how “Morocco stunned defending champions Nigeria with a 2–0 victory” (Nigeria is not even the defending champion), the ‘imaginative’ reporter then quoted the Moroccan coach Jorge Vilda as saying, “This is a victory for every Moroccan girl who dreams of greatness. We’ve made history on home soil.” The Nigerian manager, Justin Maduguwas not left out as he reportedly said, “We gave it everything, but Morocco deserved this tonight. We must go back and rebuild.” Meanwhile, the Super Falcon skipper Rasheedat Ajibade was credited as saying: “It hurts, but we’ll come back stronger. We thank Nigerians for their love and support.”

However, the reporter did not have the last word on the exciting match won by the Super Falcons to accomplish their Mission X: they claimed the 10th victory in 13 editions of the tournament. Quite a feat! Fortunately, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo used his Facebook page not only to accurately report proceedings on the field of play but also to reflect the mood of our people back home last Saturday night. “When Nigeria arrives quietly, it is often because we intend to leave with all the noise. What happened tonight in Rabat was vintage Naija. Two goals down. A stadium roaring.

But our @nigeriasuperfalcons? They did not panic. They adjusted their wings. Okoronkwo stepped up and converted the penalty with the composure of someone solving a constitutional crisis. Ijamilusi brought us level. Calm. Clinical. Confident. And just when Morocco thought the drama had peaked, Echegini delivered a set piece that felt like it was signed, sealed, and sent from Abuja.” That was Osinbajo in an entertaining post. But the eminent professor was not done: “Three goals. One comeback written with resolve. And a trophy that now tells its own story in green, white, green. We play with fire in our feet and faith in our future. Because we may bend, but we never break. And in case the world needs a reminder… Naija no dey carry last.”

What more can anybody add? Congratulations, Super Falcons!

● Still on Teens Career Conference

Registration for the 2025 RCCG TEAP Teens Career Conference will soon close. The theme for this year’s edition which holds on Saturday, 16th August is, ‘Cultivating Healthy Relationships; Setting the Right Boundaries.’ The speakers include Mr Fela Durotoye, a renowned leadership expert, motivational speaker, business strategist, and nation builder, Mrs Nonye Soludo, the First Lady of Anambra State, a dynamic entrepreneur and wellness influencer and Mr Adebowale (Debo) Olujimi, the Group Managing Director of Emadeb Energy Services Limited.

According to the chief host, Pastor Evaristus Azodoh, the choice of theme for this year’s edition was deliberate. While cultivating healthy relationships helps to define expectations from others, setting appropriate boundaries allows for mutual respect and provides the platform for such engagements without negative consequences. Although a Christian programme, the conference is open to youth of all religious backgrounds—mostly undergraduates—from Abuja and environs. Attendance is by online registration at rccgteapteens.ng.

You can follow me on my X (formerly Twitter) handle @Olusegunverdict and on www.olusegunadeniyi.com

The views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Law & Society Magazine.

Security guard, cook earn death sentence for poisoning ex-commissioner

A High Court in Katsina State on Wednesday sentenced two men to death for the 2021 murder of Alhaji Rabe Nasir, a former Commissioner for Science and Technology in the State.

Justice Ibrahim Mashi of High Court 9 in Katsina found Shamsu Lawal, a former security guard of the deceased, and Tasi’u Rabi’u, his cook, guilty of poisoning Nasir, leading to his death.

According to the prosecution, the duo resorted to poisoning the former commissioner after failed attempts to steal from him.

A joint autopsy conducted by the police and hospital confirmed the presence of poison in Nasir’s body.

The court also sentenced another former guard of the deceased, Sani Sa’adu, to five years in prison for concealing the truth about the murder.

On the other hand, the court acquitted a lady named Gift Bako due to lack of sufficient evidence linking her to the crime.

Lawyer for the convicts, Ahmad Murtala Kankia, pleaded for leniency, emphasising that “the convicts have families and dependents.”

The late Nasir served as the Commissioner for Science and Technology in Katsina State during the administration of former Governor Aminu Masari.

The deceased was also a former federal legislator representing Mani and Bindawa local governments in 2003.

The PUNCH

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