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You’re Not Naive, Lawyer Tells UNILAG Gang Rape Survivor
Defence in the case of a University of Lagos student, Chuka Chukwu, 19, accused of serially gang-raping a fellow student (name withheld), yesterday said that the alleged victim was not naive as she claimed.
Our correspondent reports that Chukwu’s counsel, Mrs. Abimbola Akeredolu (SAN), made the submission while cross-examining the alleged victim.
Our correspondent reports that Chukwu was charged along with four other students of the university.
The other defendants are Moboluwaji Omowole, 19, Peace Nwankama, 19, James Aguedu, 20 and Josephine Osemeka, 20.
They were charged on four counts -defilement of a child, permitting defilement of a child, procuration and sexual assault.
While cross-examining the complainant who said she is an entertainer, the SAN said that she was not a “naive 17-year-old” student as she claimed in court.
Questioning her social life, Akeredolu inquired whether she had been to Oceanwaves or Eclipse nightclubs.
Responding, the student who is now 20-year-old, said, “I sang at the 2019 Felabration some months ago and I performed at the event of the musician Ycee in August 2019.”
She said that she had been an entertainer half of her life but had not been to Oceanwaves or Eclipse Nightclubs though she had heard of Oceanwaves Nightclub.
Countering the student’s submission, Akeredolu said that in 2017, she launched a music track which was the period she claimed she was seventeen and naive.
Akeredolu proceeded to read aloud some of the lyrics of the song.
Some of the excerpts of the song read aloud in court are: “I feel so lonely, so paralysed, got no guy to call my own, so when I saw the look in your eyes, I couldn’t help to fantasize.
“I feel somebody coming home, meaningful love with depth and potential is what I need all the time.
“Just want you to be mine, so grab on my waist, let’s bust up the place. Anything that you do is fine, that’s why there is no need to be shy…”
After reading aloud the lyrics, Akeredolu said that they were not written by a naive person.
She thereafter presented to the complainant, five photographs in which the complainant was partially clad to identify.
After the complainant identified herself, the photographs were admitted by the court for identification purposes.
Earlier, while being cross-examined by Mr Adebisi Ademuwagun, counsel to Omowole (first defendant), the complainant said that the first time she met Omowole was when he participated in gang-raping her.
“I got to meet him (Omowole) for the first time when he was part of the people that raped me in January 2017. He collected my telephone number by force.
“I got to see him subsequently at the Unilag Sports Center. Due to the nature of the blackmail, I had to cover up and maintain a friendship with him so that people will not know what was going on; so, I visited him at the sports center.
“I was 17 years old and very naive, I was scared of my dad, he is a disciplinarian and I was scared that he was going to overreact and I will get into a lot of trouble.
“Rumours were going around school, and it was someone, who got to know me and confronted me about the rumours, that reported to the school authorities,” she said.
The alleged victim testified that the person who reported to the school authorities was not her boyfriend.
“He initially wanted to get cultists or people to beat them up but I told him, “No, I am not that kind of person”, and he eventually reported the matter to the police,” she said.
Ademuwagun told the complainant that Omowole never had sexual intercourse with her and that the police never took her and Omowole for medical examination.
“That is not true; he admitted having sex with me in front of the school counsellor, the police took me and the first defendant to the Office of the Dean Students Affairs.
“We then went to the medical centre but it had been a long time since the incident occurred. I still went to the Mirabel Center for my own medical report,” the complainant responded.
While being cross-examined by Mr O. C. Aibangbee, counsel to Nwankama, the third defendant and the complainant’s former roommate, the complainant said that Nwankama and Yinka Adegboyega now at large, lured her to be gang-raped.
“If Peace (Nwankama) had not called me that day, I would have not known High Rise or met Yinka or James or any of the other defendants.
“Peace introduced me to Yinka; that is why I trusted her to speak to him when he and Peace told me to come to High Rise to hang out,” she said.
The complainant, however, told the court that she saw Adegboyega in school on two occasions when the case was under investigation but denied being in contact with him.
During cross-examination by Mr O. C. Fapohunda, counsel to Aguedo, the complainant said that she never saw the video recordings of her alleged gang-rape by the defendants .
“I saw them when they were videoing me, I approached Yinka and I told him that there is a video going around school and he said they had deleted it.
“Everyone who confronted me told me that there was a video but I never saw the video. The police did not tell me that they recovered the video,” she said.
Justice Abiola Soladoye adjourned the case to Jan. 13, 2020, for continuation of cross-examination.
Our correspondent reports that the complainant had on Feb. 26 testified that she was lured by Nwankama who was her roommate to High Rise, a hostel in the university.
She said she was gang-raped at High Rise by eight male students and sexually assaulted by Osemeka.
She alleged that the gang-rape and sexual assault at High Rise were video-taped.
According to the complainant, she was also blackmailed with the video and further gang-raped on other occasions by the defendants and their accomplices who are now at large.
The Hausa Community in Rivers State has dissociated itself from media reports credited to one MaiwadaAdamu that the Arewa Community in Rivers State has appointed Alhaji Musa Saidu as the acting SarkinHausawa, PortHarcourt, following the inability of the former SarkinHausawa, Alhaji Isa Madaki to carry out his functions.
MaidawaAdamu, who is also the spokesman of the Arewa Initiative for Peaceful Co-existence, had briefed journalists on the change, but in a swift reaction, the Office of Alhaji Isa Madaki, has come out to say that the only recognised body which has the powers to appoint the SarkinHausawa, PortHarcourt is the Council of SarkinHausawa in PortHarcourt headed by Alhaji Isa Madaki.
The statement also said Alhaji Hussani Isa Madaki is the only recognisedSarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt, adding that his appointment follows the proclamation and endorsement by the council members of SarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The statement further called on the general public and all authorities concerned to give Alhaji Hussani Isa Madaki maximum co-operation and support,as he discharges his duties as SarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt.
The Suspended Rivers State Commissioner for health, Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, has described as baseless allegations in some quarters that she was responsible for the purported disruption of the Nigerian First Lady’s empowerment program in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh, who said this in a statement personally signed by her and a copy made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt also described the allegation as a product of the sick imagination of rumour mongers
According to Dr Oreh, “they are nothing more than a feeble and mischievous attempt to tarnish my reputation and sow discord”
In her words,”the allegations levelled against me, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, regarding the supposed disruption of the First Lady’s empowerment programme on Friday 2nd May, 2025, are entirely unfounded, completely false, and a product of the sick imagination of rumour mongers and conflict entrepreneurs.
“They are nothing more than a feeble and mischievous attempt to tarnish my reputation and sow discord.”
The suspended commissioner challenged those behind the allegation, especially the Concerned Rivers Youth Organisation to show proof of its assertion adding “It is essential to base criticisms on facts rather than speculation or puerile political agendas.
“I challenge the “Concerned Rivers Youth Organisation” (assuming such a body really exists) to provide tangible proof to support their assertions.
“It is essential to base criticisms on facts rather than speculation or puerile political agendas.
“I have neither sponsored nor will sponsor any activities aimed at embarrassing or disrupting the activities of the administration appointed by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to oversee the affairs of Rivers State following his declaration of a state of emergency on Tuesday, 18th March, 2025, and have rather spent the time of my suspension from office focused on other endeavours and my doctoral studies.
“I reaffirm my commitment to working tirelessly for the progress and development of Rivers State.
“Furthermore, I believe that it is crucial for all stakeholders to promote a culture of truth, integrity, and respect in public discourse.
“Unsubstantiated wild claims undermine trust and hinder constructive engagement, and this is not what the state needs at this difficult and delicate time.
“I urge everyone to focus on issues that unite us and foster a positive, solution-driven dialogue for the betterment of our State, and urge everyone to work together to build a brighter future for Rivers State, grounded in truth, transparency, and collective effort,”she said.
By: John Bibor
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has called on key regulators, asset owners and other stakeholders to continue to support the agency toward the goal of remediating the Ogoni environment and restoring the livelihoods of the people and building structures for peace.
The Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who made the call during the Project’s first quarter meeting with regulators, asset owners and stakeholders in Port Harcourt, urged the stakeholders to remain resolute in supporting HYPREP’s work.
“We particularly expect each regulatory agency and asset owner to deepen their involvement and continue to provide strategic support to the project”, he said, stressing that the quarterly meeting platform remains instrumental in providing a structural avenue for regulators, asset owners, and implementation partners to offer feedback to HYPREP on project performance and deliberate on ideas that move the project forward, as well as strengthen collaboration, deepen synergy and reinforce collective responsibility.
Zabbey disclosed that the socio-economic study of Ogoni has started, as HYPREP has contacted the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organisation(WHO) to commence in the next quarter a three-year human health biomonitoring in Ogoniland.
He noted that work on several fronts of the cleanup project is progressing steadily, adding that as key project partners, the insights and shared experience of the regulators and asset owners have always enriched HYPREP’s operations.
He said the policy thrust of HYPREP for 2025 is clear, as the Project is intensifying efforts to complete within stated timelines, the various ongoing projects, including remediation works and mangrove restoration, potable water facilities, the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, the Ogoni Power Project, Ogoni Specialist Hospital, and Buan Cottage Hospital, among others.
Zabbey, however, announced that HYPREP would commence new set of shoreline cleanup, mangrove restoration and livelihood projects, to sustain the momentum of implementing the Ogoni cleanup, adding that the agency would also conduct detailed site characterisation of the high-risk complex sites, leading to remediation works at the sites.
He noted that HYPREP’s collaboration with Rivers State Ministries of Health, Power and Environment, and civil society organisations remains vital, stressing that the technical and administrative support of all relevant government agencies and funding partners is indispensable in helping HYPREP overcome operational bottlenecks, especially those encountered in interfacing with host communities.
He further indicated that “the people of Ogoni and the nation are looking to us with hope and expectation, and expect tangible results from the remediation initiative”, assuring the participants that the Project Coordination Office is committed to delivering positive results.
“We must, therefore, continue to work with diligence, transparency, and a renewed sense of purpose”, he declared, saying, “ the completion and commissioning of projects this year must reflect not only our technical ability but also our collective commitment to environmental sustainability and sustainable development in Ogoni.”
During the interactive session, the Project Coordinator briefed the participants on the progress made so far by HYPREP to conclude the distribution of starter packs to the 5,000 Ogoni trainees, and called on contractors who had already collected huge chunk of money for the project, to deliver without further delay.
In all, the regulators, asset owners and stakeholders commended HYPREP for the good works it is doing, and urged it to do more.
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency(NOSDRA) was represented at the event by Deputy Director, Oil Field Assessment, Dr Abam Komommo Omini, while Dr Vincent Nwachukwu, Director of Medical Services, represented the Rivers State Ministry of Health.
The Rivers State Ministries of Water Resources, Power and Environment were represented by Dr Bealo Brownson; Engr K. J. Osele; and Mr James Ordu respectively, while the Society for Women and Youth Affairs (SWAYA); and the Stakeholder Democracy Network(SDN); among other civil society organisations were also at the event.
By: Donatus Ebi