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Rivers School Expels Three Students Over Alleged Gang Rape
Controversy now trails the expulsion of three male students over the alleged gang rape of a female student by the Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology even as an advocacy group, the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, has called on the Rivers State Police Command to thoroughly investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book.
The Secretary, Board of Trustees of the group, Prince Wiro, in a statement, in Port Harcourt, disclosed that information available to the group suggests that the three male students: Ferdinand Bruce Gospel, Chim Gozirim Sunday Steve and Nadum Sampson, all in final year, were arrested by the institution’s security operatives but failed to hand over the suspects to the police prior to their expulsion.
Wiro disclosed that during an interview by the group, one of the students accused of participating in the gang rape, Sunday Steve, indicated that the students were not invited by the police, and therefore, were not given fair hearing.
He, therefore, called on the police to investigate the matter with a view to unravelling the level of culpability of the expelled students, and if found wanting, the suspects should be made to face the law.
Wiro asserted that allegation of rape cannot be investigated and concluded by the school authorities without recourse to the police, considering the magnitude and nature of the alleged crime.
However, Sunday Steve, has absolved himself and the other two students of any involvement or complicity in the alleged crime.
In an interview, Sunday Steve maintained that they did not gang-rape ‘Bianca’ or any other female student in the institution contrary to claims by the school management that the female student was gang-raped inside the boys’ hostel.
He explained that the moment the matter was reported, the security outfit in the school arrested him and another accused student, and allegedly subjected them to severe torture without telling them what offence they had committed.
Sunday Steve said they were later released after hours of detention by the school security personnel.
He stated that the school did not give them fair hearing and they were not invited by the police for interrogation.
In his reaction, the Provost of the institution, Prof Franklin Nlerum, maintained that the college followed due process in the expulsion of the students, and also gave them the opportunity to defend themselves.
Nlerum claimed that the matter was also reported to the Divisional Police Headquarters at Sani Abacha Road, in the Phase 3 axis of the New GRA, Port Harcourt.
A statement signed by the Registrar of the institution, Kuapie Ndee-Ue, which was made available to The Tide, read: “The academic board at the 57th regular meeting held on Thursday, December 17, 2020, approved the expulsion of the following students from the college for their involvement in rape and cultism with immediate effect.
“Ferdinand Bruce Gospel (EMT/17/096) Department of Emergency Medical Technology Year 3; Chim Gozirim Sunday Steve (HIM/17/038) Department of Health Information Year 3; and Nadum Sampson, DS/16/024 Department of Dental Surgery Technician Year 3”.
The statement directed that “the students should not be seen around the campus for any reason or occasion, and the expulsion tag should be written expressly on each of the expelled student’s column in the result sheets to prevent any attempt to release their results or subsequent release of the certificate to the culprits. All Deans of schools, Heads of Department, Exams and Records, ICT unit are to ensure strict compliance to the directive”.
By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.