News

Gracious David-West’s Death Sentence, Justice At Last -RSHA

Published

5 years ago

October 12, 2020

The Rivers State House of Assembly has said that with the conviction of the notorious serial killer, Gracious David-West, by a Port Harcourt High Court, last Friday, the souls of the 11 victims of his callous crimes against humanity have been atoned as justice has been served at last.
This was contained in a statement signed by the member representing Omuma Constituency in Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Kelechi Nwogu, last Friday, in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The statement read, “On behalf of the Rivers State House of Assembly ad-hoc committee saddled with the responsibility of unravelling serial killings that occurred in the state in 2019, of which I served as its chairman, I commend all those who ensured that the victims of Gracious David-West finally got justice.
“When this serial killer was on the prowl, there was apprehension in the entire state, because no one knew who will be his next victim. An ugly development that made the house to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the menace, which was chaired by my humble self; we swung into action immediately, and the suspect was arrested and charged to court.
“Just as you all know, Gracious David-West has been found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging in a landmark judgement delivered by Justice Adolphus Enebeli of the Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt.
“This would serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements in our society. If they do not turn over a new leaf and become law abiding citizens, they would be brought to book, because Rivers State Government is determined to protect lives and properties.
“Finally, I can assure you that, Rivers State can longer experience anything as serial killings in our hotels, because the bill I sponsored on the floor of the house tagged, ‘INN KEEPERS AND HOTEL PROPRIETORS BILL’ will address all the loopholes that Gracious David-West relied on to murder those young ladies”, the lawmaker added.
Also speaking, a representative of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Rivers State Branch, Barrister Kemi Osunaike, said the judgment would serve as deterrent to others who were in the habit of killing others, deliberately causing harm, or raping women, among others, in the state.
She said that with the judgment, FIDA was now relieved that justice has finally been served, adding that female lawyers would continue to fight for the protection of the rights of vulnerable women and the girl-child from predators and monsters among men.
A number of civil society organisations also hailed the conviction of the serial killer, and called on the authorities to take pragmatic action to check the incidence of violence and abuse against less privileged people, especially vulnerable women and the girl-child whose rights had been trampled upon with impunity in the past.
It would be recalled that Justice Adolphus Enebeli of the State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, last Friday, convicted and sentenced Gracious David-West to death by hanging for the murder of 11 young women and attempted murder of one Benita Etim.
The serial killer was found guilty of committing the crimes in different hotel rooms across Rivers State between July and September, 2019.
Justice Enebeli, in his judgment, said the convict, who he described as a serial killer, had endemic misdemeanour, and deserved no mercy to live but to die by hanging following the heinous killings of innocent young girls across hotels in the state.
Justice Enebeli said this while delivering his judgement on Gracious David-West and a female hotel manager in Port Harcourt.
The Tide reports that when the convict was arrested and paraded by the police in September, 2019, he confessed to killing seven young women; one in Lagos; one in Owerri, Imo State; and five in Rivers State.
But investigations by crack police detectives had linked him to about 11 killings at different locations in the state.
According to Justice Enebeli, the prosecution has proven their case and convinced the court that the defendant, Gracious David-West, murdered the 11 young women in Port Harcourt, and also attempted to kill one Benita Etim.
The convict was charged with a 10-count charge bordering on murder and attempted murder, while the second defendant in the matter, who was discharged and acquitted, a female hotel manager, Nimi ThankGod, was charged with one-count charge of misconduct in the handling of a corpse.
The trial judge, however, said the prosecution was able to prove its case in counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 10 of the charges that the convict committed the crimes but failed to prove its case on three-count charges in nos. 6, 8, and 9, due to lack of witnesses and diligent prosecution.
He averred that the convict confessed to have committed the crimes even when he was paraded by the police just as he pleaded guilty to the crimes, adding that Gracious David-West did not show any mental impediment in court, therefore, killed those young women intentionally.
“The way he lured those late young women to hotels without resistance were still anathema, and the gory nature of the deaths of those ladies forces out tears from the people. If the police had not arrested him, he would have surpassed the world record on serial killing,” he stated.
He, therefore, found him guilty on the seven out of the 10-count charges as brought against him by the state.
The second defendant in the case, Nimi ThankGod, a manager of one of the hotels in Port Harcourt, where one of the victims was killed, was however, acquitted and discharged by the court on the grounds that the state prosecuting counsel failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed the offence.
ThankGod, who faced a one-count charge bordering on misconduct with a corpse, was accused of evacuating the corpse of one of the young females killed in her hotel room where she served as a manager, and dumped the body at a dumpsite along Aggrey Road in Port Harcourt in August, 2019.
The trial judge held that the prosecution failed to produce the actual person that committed the crime, saying that the real identity of the person was still unknown.
The court said that the prosecution failed to prove that the second defendant was the actual person even though she was the manager, adding that she could not be punished for an offence she has not be found culpable.
He, therefore, upheld her counsel’s submission that the court cannot convict the second defendant based on public sentiment but on convincing and verifiable evidence.
Justice Enebeli, who agreed with the second defendant’s counsel, discharged and acquainted Nimi ThankGod.
Earlier, Counsel to David-West, Barrister Vincent Chukwu, had pleaded with the court for leniency on the grounds that his client was a father of three young children.
He said his plea became imperative because the convict has three children, adding that granting him leniency would enable him take care of his young children.
Chukwu noted that he was awaiting the brief of his client, adding that depending on the directive he gets, he may proceed to appeal the judgment up to the Supreme Court, as the law provides for the protection of the rights of the convict until otherwise ordered by the apex court.
However, the state lead prosecuting counsel, Barrister Chidi Ekeh, said the first defendant (David-West) did not deserve any leniency as he never showed mercy to his victims, and urged the court to ensure justice in the matter.
Ekeh told newsmen shortly after, that the judgment would serve as a deterrent to others with such intensions of crime, adding that the second defendant was let off the hook because it was difficult to prove to the court that the accused committed the crime.
He said: “With respect to the second defendant, she escaped by the whiskers, not that the offence with which she was charged was not committed, but it was difficult to determine who exactly did it as the witnesses who would have ordinarily provided that answer suddenly disappeared from the state until date.
“I am happy that this judgment was given, it would serve as a deterrent to all such persons with such dispositions, who are always taking to crime, to know that there are consequences.”
In his view, counsel to the second defendant, Barrister Lesina Amagwa, lauded the judgement, saying that it has once again restored confidence in the Judiciary as the last hope of the ordinary citizens in the society.
He pleaded with the prosecution not to go ahead with any appeal against the judgement in respect to his client.

News

RSG Moves To Diversify Rivers Economy …As Farmers, Others Laud Ibas Over Implementation Of RAAMP

Published

4 days ago

June 20, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has restated its readiness to diversify the economy of the state from oil to Agriculture.

This is as farmers and other stakeholders have commended the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Retd) for approving the implementation of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing project (RAAMP) in the state.

Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this during a meeting on implementation of RAAMP in Ikwerre, Eleme and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas.

Ogolo said the programme would create an agricultural industrial hub in the 23 local government areas, and urged the people to embrace the project.

Meanwhile, rural farmers and other stakeholders in the State have lauded Ibas for approving the implementation of RAAMP in the State.

RAAMP is a world bank program with support from the International Development Association ( IDA), the French Development Agency and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

According to a statement made available to newsmen, the programme aims to strengthen the institutional and financial base for sustainable management of state and rural networks, fostering historic development to enhance food security, creating access in rural communities to boost agricultural processes through creation of durable access roads and agro logistics centres/hub.

Tide source confirms that the program has been in operation since 2020 with 19 states benefitting.

The benefitting states are Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Bauchi.

Other beneficiaries are Plateau, Kwarra, Ondo, Niger, Gombe, Anambra, Cross River, Taraba and Benue states.

The source said that 12 new states including Rivers State recently completed their requirements for inclusion into the RAAMP 3.

Speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting at Isiokpo, Nchia and Omoku, headquarters of Ikwerre, Eleme and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government areas respectively, a cross section of farmers described the programme as timely as it would boost food production as well as create markets for agricultural produce.

At Eleme, HRH Emere J D Nkpe warned against politicising the project.

The people also complained against incessant destruction of crops by herdsmen and called for it to be checked.

Also speaking at Omoku headquarters of Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area,Eze Allison Dan and Barrister Lola Nwaribe commendation the government for the program but warned against it going the way of other programmes.

For Barrister Nwaribe Women in the area needs assistance to break free from subsistence agriculture

Speaking at the three ocal government areas Ogolo said Rear Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas rtd needs to be commended for approving the implementation of the program in the state.

Ogolo said the program is aims at diversifying Rivers economy from oil to Agriculture.

He said the program will also enable farmers to move from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture, adding that access roads will not only be created to farms but markets will be built for farmers to sell their produce.

He listed other benefits to include creation of employment for the youths and helping small traders to boost sales.

Also speaking the state RAAMP Coordinator,Mr Joshua Kpakol said the “the essence of this project is to provide rural access roads and improve agricultural marketing systems across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state”

Kpakol said the project is divided into three components which are improvement of Rural Access and Trading Infrastructure, Sector Reform,Asset management and Agro logistics performance Enhancement and Institutional Development, Project Management and Risk Mitigation.

He urged farmers and traders to embrace the project as it would go along way in changing their fortunes.

At Ikwerre and Eleme local government areas respectively, the sole administrators of the two councils Hon Isaiah Christian and Dr Gloria Obo Dibiah said the councils will work towards the success of the program.

They commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Sole Administrator of Rivers state for ensuring that their respective councils benefits from the programme.

John Bibor

News

Defamation: Court Grants Natasha N50m Bail

Published

4 days ago

June 20, 2025

The Tide

The FCT High Court in Abuja, yesterday, granted the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, bail in the sum of N50 million and one surety who must be a person of reasonable integrity resident in F.C.T Abuja and owns a landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.

The trial judge, Justice Chizoba Orji, made the declaration in a ruling after taking arguments for and against the bail application from the parties in the suit.

The Attorney General of the Federation, in a three-count criminal charge marked CR/297/25, accused Akpoti-Uduaghan, the sole defendant, of making defamatory statements against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during a live television broadcast.

The charge, which lists Akpabio and the former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, as nominal complainants, alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed Bello had conspired with Akpabio to orchestrate her assassination outside Abuja, disguising it as a mob or local attack.

According to the Federal Government, these allegations were made during a live broadcast on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025.

The Federal Government claimed that Akpoti-Uduaghan knowingly or recklessly made these imputations, fully aware that they could harm the reputation of the individuals involved.

The charge alleged that she said, “Let’s ask the Senate President, why in the first instance did he withdraw my security, if not to make me vulnerable to attacks? He then emphasised that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi. What is important to me is to stay alive, because dead men tell no tales. Who is going to get justice for me?”

The charge also cites her statements during the programme as saying, “That you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on or about the 3rd day of April 2025, during the same Politics Today programme on Channels Television in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, made the following imputation concerning Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.

“It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night, to eliminate me. When he met with him, he then emphasised that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi. You knew or had reason to believe that such imputations would harm the reputation of Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.”

The senator is also accused of making defamatory statements about Akpabio during a telephone conversation with Sandra C. Duru in Abuja on March 27, 2025.

The alleged statement is as follows, “That girl that was killed, what’s her name, umm…. Imoren Iniubong, her organs were actually used for the wife, because the wife was really ill… when they killed the girl, and her organs were used for the wife.”

The Federal Government contends that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan knew or ought to have known that this claim would harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Meanwhile, the Senate President, Bello, and four others have been listed as witnesses in the trial.

The arraignment of Akpoti-Uduaghan was initially scheduled for June 3, 2025. However, the strike action of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria stalled the arraignment.

Meanwhile, a similar matter is also lodged before Justice Muhammed Umar, of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

While Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was slated for arraignment before Justice Umar, she, however, did not appear for the arraignment since the prosecution had not been able to serve her as stated in court.

The prosecution, however, applied for a bench warrant to be issued on the suspended senator, which the court refused.

At the commencement of the hearing, the counsel to the Attorney General of the Federation, David Kaswe, told the Court that the matter is for arraignment of the defendant (Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan).

Natasha was docked, and the three-count read to her. She pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team, led by Professor Roland Otaru (SAN), afterwards informed the Court that a bail application filed on May 27 has been submitted to the court.

Kaswe, however, informed the court that the Federal Government is opposing the bail application and called the attention of the judge to a counter-affidavit filed before the court to this effect.

He proceeded to ask the court to remand the Kogi Senator in prison as she poses a flight risk.

He said, “In view of the charge, we will be asking for a remand in a correctional facility.

The defence counsel, however, interjected, stating, “We already filed an application for bail. We are in a court of law for Justice. We have a motion on Notice dated May 27, 2025. You represent the Ministry of Justice, not the Ministry of Injustice.

“If your lordship graciously will, we urge your lordship to grant the bail application. This is a case where your lordship has the discretion to grant bail, and nobody can query it, not even the president can query it. Even on self-recognition because it is not a case of murder.”

Referencing the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, Otaru added that anybody who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty. “And she pleaded not guilty. As she is standing there, she is innocent until proven otherwise,” he added.

Justice Chizoba Orji, after listening to both arguments, however, granted Natasha bail in the sum of N50 million, with one surety who must be a person of reasonable integrity resident in F.C.T Abuja and owns a landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.

News

Benin Monarch Receives 119 Stolen Artefacts From Netherlands

Published

4 days ago

June 20, 2025

The Tide

Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has received 119 stolen artefacts from the Netherlands.

The Oba who disclosed this on Wednesday in Benin, the Edo State capital, said plans by some international cartel to re-loot the artefacts were thwarted after he prayed to God and the ancestors.

He said, “I thank President Bola Tinubu for supporting and committing to the efforts former President Buhari put in place to ensure the artifacts are not re-looted because there were groups in this country believed to be an international cartel that had all sorts of conspiracy to re-loot our artifacts.

“They stole and burnt our Kingdom. They killed my people and tried to kill their spirit and their morale. Today, the boldness, courage, and bravery of the Benin people are still there. Events of 1897 reduced that to a significant level that Sometimes when I see my people, they are afraid of the unknown.

“The return of these objects has reawakened the courage we had in our people. We do not want modern-day politics and partisan politics to diminish the courage of our people.

“The Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments has been doing wonderful work. His predecessor was part of the conspiracy to re-loot our artefacts. We had a running battle in this hall.

“I addressed my Chiefs in Benin language, and I said these artefacts belong to my ancestors, and I will not sit on the ancient throne and watch the artefacts re-looted. They would rather remain where they are than be re-looted. I thank the government of the Netherlands for working with us. This is part of the efforts to reawaken the morale and spirit of my people.

“After 1897, the kingdom was reduced. There was a government in this state that wanted to reduce the kingdom more and scatter it. I am angry when I speak about it. Why would anybody want to scatter the kingdom.

“The youths were courageous like the youths of those days. They were not afraid of anybody. I vowed that it would not happen. Not in my reign. Not while I am sitting on this throne. God heard my prayers. My ancestors heard my prayers. This throne is not partisan, but I should support what is good for my people.

“I urge the youths to be tough and strong in the face of adversity. This is not for anybody else. It is for my ancestors.”

The Benin Monarch further prayed for the return of more artefacts.

The NCMM DG, Olugbile Holloway, said the commission and the Benin Royal Palace were working hard to ensure more artefacts were returned.

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, who was represented by the Secretary to State Government, Barr. Musa Ikhilor said his administration would continue to build necessary infrastructure to preserve the returned artefacts as well as collaborate with the Federal Government to improve the storage system for the artefacts.

The General Director of the Wereld Museum, Marieke Van Bommel, said, “The artefacts are looted, and we have a policy in the Netherlands to bring them back. We are bringing back 119 artefacts. We don’t have more. These are the collections in the Netherlands. There are more collections in Europe, but that is not up to us. They have been with us for over 100 years.”