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Parents, Community Leaders May be Prosecuted as Accomplice in Cases of Rape and Incense should they Shield Violators, Says NAPTIP

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Parents, Community Leaders May be Prosecuted as Accomplice in Cases of Rape and Incense should they Shield Violators, Says NAPTIP

By: Michael Mike

The Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi has warned communities against interfering in criminal prosecution of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), insisting that cases of rape and incense are no go area for family and community leaders.

Waziri-Azi also threatened that parents may be prosecuted as accomplices in cases of rape and incense if they should cover up for the violators of the children and wards.

The NAPTIP boss lamented that many cases of rape and incense were prematurely dropped due to pressures from families and communities which forced victims to withdraw their complaints.

He decried that there are several records of cases that could not be prosecuted as violators were allowed to go scot-free when complainants showed disinterest in prosecution as a result of pressure from families and communities.

He said NAPTIP would soon work on propagation of law that would make it a crime for parents and communities to shield violators of SGBV, prosecuting them as accomplice in a criminal act.

Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at the commencement of FCT community dialogue and advocacy on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in the Six Area Councils starting with the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Waziri-Azi noted that the NAPTIP has recorded 1, 278 reported cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence, (SGBV), in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), with spousal battery being the highest complaint in the last one year.

The DG said that “In 2023, NAPTIP received 1, 278 complaints of sexual and gender-based violence in the FCT and top of the list was spousal battery. Our data shows that spousal battery is an issue in the FCT and that was the same trend and pattern that we saw in 2022.

“We also had complaints bordering on abandonment, where either husband, wife or both abandon their children.

“Also, inflicting physical injury on children and on domestic staff has been seen to be on the increase in the FCT.”

She explains that rape is also on the increase but compared to 2022 where it was the third highest reported SGBV case, the 2023 statistics showed that it is now the fourth most reported case.

On the number convictions by the agency, she explains that “In 2023, we secured four convictions. We know how hard it is to investigate and prosecute SGBV cases but these four convictions were very stringent. We have two life imprisonment for the first time ever, 25 years imprisonment and 21 years imprisonment each without the option of fine.”

She notes that the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, ( VAPPA), of which NAPTIP is empowered to implement in addition to its protecting victims of trafficking in persons not only protects women and children, but all persons including men hence the erroneous view in some quarters.

“Intuitively most times, when people hear about the VAPP Act they automatically think that it is to protect just women and children but it protects all persons including men and boys

“In the past two years, we’ve seen incremental reportage of violence against men so men are beginning to realize that the system is not just there for women and the Act also empowers NAPTIP to implement the provisions in the FCT.”

“NAPTIP has enforcement powers, has prosecutorial powers and has protective mandate victims of human trafficking and survivors of sexual and gender based violence.l,” she adds.

Speaking on SGBV against older persons, Director General National Senior Citizens Centre, NSCC), Dr. Emem Omokaro, said “Older persons face a lot of stereotype , prejudice and discrimination all because they are old,” and that has led to series of violence against them.

Director, Social Welfare and Gender, FCT Social Secretariat, Aisha Yusufari, said community leaders can settled minor disagreement among couples in the society but when it comes to issues of life threatening violence, rape and incest, perpetrators must be reported to the authorities for necessary actions.

Parents, Community Leaders May be Prosecuted as Accomplice in Cases of Rape and Incense should they Shield Violators, Says NAPTIP

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Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction

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Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction

By: Michael Mike

A former coordinator of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, has called on the political class across party lines to support ongoing security efforts of the federal government.

Onaiwu in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday noted that insecurity is colour blind, has no party affiliation and was religious neutral, therefore, the need for politicians to eschew partisan slant on security matters.

He cautioned that failure by the political elite to support the fight against insecurity leading to several ungoverned spaces could disrupt elections, stressing that except there is a country, then elections are guaranteed.

The former NGF coordinator particularly commended the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his coordination and strategic efforts in streamlining security policies and engagements in tackling insecurity.

According to him, the recent delivery of military hardware by the United States Government to Nigeria is a demonstration that the NSA was working and his recent foray to the U.S. is yielding the desired results.

“The season requires patriots and this means that irrespective of party affiliations, every politician worth his name needs to support ongoing security efforts as coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

“Insecurity is colour blind, has no party affiliation, it is religious blind and those not respect societal status. Therefore, Nigerians, especially our political class, should lend their support, proffer solutions and galvanise the people to back the government’s security initiatives.

“Only on Tuesday, the federal government received critical military hardware from the United States Government. This is cheering and it shows that the NSA’s recent visit to the United States and the subsequent hosting of delegations in the country is bearing the desired results.

“Also, renewed military and police onslaughts against terrorists and bandits show that the federal government is taking the fight to those who are intent on denying us our peace and well-being.

“The least we can do as citizens is to support the government, provide real time intelligence from our communities and do not engage in fake news on social media against government’s efforts,” Onaiwu stated.

He further called on governors to match the energy of the federal government by supporting the NSA to address the various security challenges in their states as well as continued logistics and equipment to the military and police.

Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction

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Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case

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Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case

By: Michael Mike

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, is facing possible committal to prison following contempt proceedings initiated over an alleged failure to comply with a Federal High Court order relating to the abduction and disappearance of Mr. John Chukwuemeka Anozie.

The action was instituted by legal counsel to Mr. Anozie’s wife, Mr. Vincent Adodo, who accused the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of the IGP of willfully disobeying a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja, on September 24, 2025.

In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/865/2025 between Mrs. Nnenna Anozie v. Inspector General of Police, Justice Binta Nyako ordered the IGP to produce for prosecution operatives of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) alleged to have abducted Mr. Anozie from his Lekki residence in Lagos on June 15, 2017.

The court also directed the police authorities to forward the investigation report and legal advice on the matter to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation for appropriate action.

The court further awarded ₦2 million in damages against the IGP for failing to respond to a Freedom of Information request submitted by Mrs. Anozie seeking details of investigations into her husband’s disappearance.

The SARS operatives listed in the judgment include officers attached to the former SARS unit in Akwuzu, Anambra State, who were accused of involvement in the alleged abduction.

According to court documents, despite being served with the judgment in October 2025, the IGP has neither complied with the orders of the court nor paid the damages awarded. This development prompted Mrs. Anozie’s legal team to initiate contempt proceedings by serving the IGP with Form 48 (Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Court Order) and Form 49 (Notice of Committal to Correctional Centre).

The applicant is now seeking an order of court committing the IGP to Kuje Correctional Centre until he complies fully with the judgment.

The motion for contempt has been scheduled for hearing on February 9, 2025, before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force has not issued an official response to the contempt proceedings.

Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case

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VP Shettima Lauds Massachusetts Tech Institute’s Impact On Global Innovation Ecosystem

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VP Shettima Lauds Massachusetts Tech Institute’s Impact On Global Innovation Ecosystem

Urges African entrepreneurs to close ranks to fully harness continent’s huge potentials

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has lauded the transformative impact of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the global entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem that has raised over $1.5 billion dollars and created over 30,000 direct jobs in 20 years.

He, however, urged African entrepreneurs to close ranks in order to fully harness the continent’s huge potentials, leveraging MIT’s resource mobilization network and job creation opportunities.

The Vice President made the remarks on Wednesday when he received a delegation from Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship 2025-2026 led by MIT’s Executive Director for the Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, Dina Sherif, on a courtesy visit at the presidential villa.

Senator Shettima called for unity of purpose among African professionals and entrepreneurs, saying “Africa is the new frontier and future belongs to the continent but its people must unite to transform potentials into tangible results that impact lives and livelihoods.

“Africa is blessed with enormous human and material resources but its people must fuse into one to benefit from the tremendous opportunities that abound across the continent,” he added.

He disclosed that Nigeria President Bola Tinubu is daring to leverage available opportunities to transform the entire economy, noting that “President Tinubu is not afraid of taking bold decisions that will reposition Nigeria’s economy and better the lives of the livelihoods of the people.”

Earlier in her remarks, the leader of the delegation, Sherif, said the delegation was at the Presidential Villa to brief the Vice President on the activities of MIT’s Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, assuring that the Centre is dedicated to “fueling the engine of entrepreneurship across the world”.

She noted that the team was in Nigeria in view of the Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship programme, which, according to her, has helped to entrench the spirit of entrepreneurship across the continent.

Sherif underscored the significance of collaboration among African startups, noting that Nigeria is a leading country, as evidenced in the progress recorded by startups across the continent.

She further assured of improved support for African-based startups from the centre through its various initiatives.

Also present at the meeting with the Vice President were the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, and some fellows of the Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship 2025 – 2026 Session across Africa.

VP Shettima Lauds Massachusetts Tech Institute’s Impact On Global Innovation Ecosystem

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