TheNewsGuru

Tag: ABUSE

  • Sexual abuse: Reps votes against castration as punishment for rapists

    The House of Representatives has voted against a prayer seeking to recommend castration as punishment for rapists.

    The House, at the plenary on Thursday, rejected the motion which was earlier recommended by a member, Mr James Faleke.

    Faleke had recommended that persons found guilty of rape should be castrated.

    Following the rising cases of sexual violence in Nigeria, the lawmakers also asked the Inspector General of Police to immediately commence an investigation into the cases of Uwa Omozuwa, Tina Ezekwe, the reported rape of a minor in Jigawa state, as well as all other reported cases of violence against women.

    Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, described the rise in these cases as sick, despicable and an ungodly act which cuts across all gender.

    The House was reacting to a motion of urgent public importance by Representative Rotimi Agunsoye, on the need to condemn the rising cases of sexual violence and other social vices against women and police brutality.

    The lawmakers also urged the Federal Government to launch a more effective campaign against rape and other violence against women and girls.

  • Nigerian military encourages sexual abuse, brutality of children in custody – Amnesty

    Nigerian military encourages sexual abuse, brutality of children in custody – Amnesty

    Global rights group, Amnesty International, has condemned the treatment of children arrested for allegedly engaging in terrorism.

    Amnesty said the children were locked up alongside adult terrorists who sexually abuse them while military officials look the other way.

    The rights group said this in its latest report titled, ‘We dried our tears: Addressing the toll on children of Northeast Nigeria’s conflict’.

    The report examined how the military’s unlawful detention and torture have compounded the sufferings of children from Borno and Adamawa States who faced crimes against humanity in the hands of Boko Haram.

    The report read in part, “The Nigerian military’s treatment of those who escape such brutality has also been appalling. From mass, unlawful detention in inhumane conditions, to meting out beatings and torture and allowing sexual abuse by adult inmates – it defies belief that children anywhere would be so grievously harmed by the very authorities charged with their protection.”

    The rights group said Nigeria must urgently address its failure to protect and provide education for an entire generation of children in the North-East, a region devastated by years of Boko Haram atrocities.

    The report further stated that between November 2019 and April 2020, Amnesty interviewed more than 230 people affected by the conflict, including 119 who were children when they suffered serious crimes by Boko Haram, the Nigerian military, or both.

    This included 48 children held in military detention for months or years, as well as 22 adults who had been detained with children

    “Most of such detentions are unlawful; children are never charged or prosecuted for any crime and are denied the rights to access a lawyer, appear before a judge, or communicate with their families. The widespread unlawful detentions may amount to a crime against humanity,” the report added.

  • David and the abuse of power, By Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

    David and the abuse of power, By Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

    Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

    When a person is given a position of authority, his attitude to wealth, wine and women reveals the real person. The greatest warrior in the world is a person who wield victory over his or her temperaments. A follow up to this is the extent a person can control his appetites for food, drink and sex. Abuse of power and authority can be perceived in the desire for illegitimate private gain in carrying out official duties. This takes the form of bullying, harassing behaviour, using staff for personal favour, pressuring staff to distort facts and encouraging corruption. Abuse of power can occur when those in authority assume absolute freedom to create a high self-esteem with the money that is budgeted for the common good. To think that you are not accountable to anybody or those you serve except your Superior is dangerous. This is a serious disservice to the people (cf. https://www.google.com, May, 11, 2018).

    David was a man of integrity who earned fame by killing Goliath (1 Samuel 17). He was a warrior who had conquered the lion and the bear such that “David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:34-37). David saved the life of Saul who wanted to kill him out of jealousy. He respected the Lord’s anointed (1 Samuel 24: 1-22). He knew the value of friendship and so wept for Jonathan his friend and King Saul (2 Samuel 1). He did not celebrate the death of his son Absalom. He mourned him even though he committed treason by trying to overthrow him and kill him (2 Samuel 18).

    Given these qualities, David became the King of Israel and Judah by popular demand, choose and acclamation. David was a warrior over everything except his own selfish temperamentsand passion. He could not win victory over his lust. He was ready to do evil to satisfy his lust. The people of Israel demanded a king who would lead them to war. David ignored his role of Commander in Chief who was anointed to lead the people to war (1 Samuel 8: 4-6). “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 11: 1). “One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. Then she went back home. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant” (2 Samuel 11: 2-4)

    David responded like a dictator. He “sent this word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house (2 Samuel 11: 6-9).David did not bother about the ethics of war whereas Uriah who was a Hittite kept the rule of not sleeping with his wife during war. “Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing” (2 Samuel 11).

    David proceeded to commit murder by killing Uriah the Hittite”(2 Samuel 11:14-17). In the platform of Mission and Dialogue, different scholars commented on this incident of David in African context. Sr. Prof. Teresa Okure SHCJ says that,“Dictators and tyrants succeed because people sheepishly obey them against their own God-given conscience. David asked someone to call him the wife of Uriah, a “pagan”; the person did. He sent message to Joab to send Uriah to him; Joab did. He did his very best to get Uriah to go home and have intercourse with his wife so as to cover up his sin. Uriah refused because military law forbade sexual intercourse during combat time. Had Uriah lost or betrayed his personal integrity, there would have been no story such as we have today. David sent Uriah back to Joab with gruesome instructions to kill him and many others in the process. Joab did. Uriah died. But lives on in the story. Without his integrity, David would have used his kingly power and authority to commit crime and get away with it. We need to be aware of the different ways in which we participate in collaborative criminality.”

    Here the Nigerian rulers need self-examination. God forbids that the cunny way David enabled the death of Uriah is not what is happening to the Nigerian Soldiers who are being killed by the terrorists! Fr. Dr. Clement Anaedevha from the Mission and Dialogue platform “strongly suggest that the sincerity of the government and the governors of the states where the highest percentage of perpetuation are recorded must be questioned and brought to book before constructive dialogue can continue. At the moment, what we are doing lacks true foundation that can endure the test of time. Yet, whatever must be done should be urgent.” On the killing of many innocent people just because David want to kill one person, Uriah to cover his iniquities, Fr. Charles Esirah Bassey from the same platform expressed the pain he is feeling for the innocent people that are being killed and displaced in Nigeria. He calls on the Religious leaders to be the voice of the voiceless because “we do not want the disaster of another civil war.” When incessant killings and deaths occur when there is no war, it becomes abnormal and evil.

    This is why the political leadership should ensure that people are put in positions based on pure merit and be courageous to remove those who are not performing up to expectation. Would the call by the Nigerian House of Representatives for the removal of Military Service Chiefs change the insecurity climate in Nigeria (https./www.cfr.blog-nigeria)? I think the Honorable House could go beyond this given that the average Nigerian needs mental re-engineering, clear vision, change of negative attitude, redefinition of values, and aggressive recognition of professionalism of Nigerians in executing individual and national missions. The killers in Nigeria need to be arrested and reformed instead of a distinguished member of the house to take the floor of the house and talk nothing but a display of his four wives is an abuse of power and disservice to a nation where uncountable wives and children are kidnapped and killed on a daily basis. We need to reexamine our psyche, attitude, orientation and horizon. So help us Oh Almighty God.

    Rev. Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua is the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC -nirec.ng@gmail.com) & The Secretary General of the West Africa Inter-Religious Council (WA-IRC – wairc.rfp@gmail.com).

  • Chelsea suspends fans for alleged racial abuse of Sterling

    Chelsea suspends fans for alleged racial abuse of Sterling

    Chelsea have suspended four people from attending matches while an investigation into the alleged racial abuse of Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling takes place.

    The incident involving the 24-year-old occurred during City’s 2-0 loss at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

    Chelsea are “fully supporting” an ongoing police investigation.

    A club statement said evidence of racist behaviour will result in “severe sanctions, including bans”.

    “Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour abhorrent,” the statement continued, adding that the club “will also fully support any criminal prosecutions”.

    Manchester City welcomed Chelsea’s decision to issue suspensions.

    A club statement said: “The club and Raheem are fully engaged with Chelsea FC and the investigating authorities as they continue to examine the events in question.

    “Manchester City and Raheem are committed to working with all relevant parties and organisations to support the objective of eradicating racism from the game.”

    Social media users posted a video of an incident during which Sterling was shouted at as he collected the ball from behind the goal.

    Sterling said he “had to laugh” when he heard the remarks because he expects “no better”.

    A subsequent Instagram post from the England international saw him question the way the media portrays black players and has prompted debate between stakeholders in the game.

    The Professional Footballers’ Association has said negative press coverage of Sterling “emboldens racist rhetoric”, adding the former Liverpool player is “often singled out”.

  • Senate moves to tackle drug, substance abuse

    Following the Senate’s resolution in October on the state of drug and substance abuse around the nation, the Upper Chamber has moved to address the widespread use of drugs and other illegal substances through a stakeholder roundtable with state governments, local governments, traditional rulers, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria and NGOs.

    The objective of the Roundtable which will hold in Kano on Monday and Tuesday, is to bring together relevant stakeholders to discuss the drivers of drug abuse in Nigeria, identify the psycho-social and medical impact of the phenomenon, assess current responses, legislative gaps and opportunities for action.

    The expected outcomes of the Roundtable include: gaining a better understanding of drug use, prevalence, trends and patterns in Nigeria; understanding the current government and Civil Society capacity and efforts towards addressing drug abuse and related issues; gain insight into legislative, policy gaps and develop an Action Plan for interventions by the National Assembly and other stakeholders.

    Recall that earlier this year, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, expressed his concern about the widespread abuse of drugs by youths in the country.

    In a series of tweets on his Twitter account (@bukolasaraki) on Friday, September 29, the Senate President posted, “I am particularly worried about the drug menace in the country. It is time that we recognize this problem and address it in a sensible manner.

    “I will be pushing for the National Assembly to review all relevant laws on drug abuse. This will help to curb the widespread misuse of illegal and unsanitary substances. The Senate will engage with all relevant stakeholders as we initiate this process,” the President of the Senate said.

    Until recently, the Government of Nigeria (GoN) has pursued a law enforcement approach in response to the challenge of drug trafficking, production and use.

    Nigeria has ratified all United Nation’s drug and crime conventions and is supporting and participating in all major international and regional anti-drug initiatives, strategies and programmes.

    The country has also enacted comprehensive anti-drug legislation and established several specialised national agencies to enhance the effectiveness and coordination of drug control policies.

    The Roundtable will allow the Senate to effectively analyze Nigeria’s response to the menace and come up with appropriate strategies on the way forward.

     

     

  • Protect women against abuse, Ambode Urges Governors

    …As Ajimobi, Aregbesola, Dickson, Others Underscore Women’s Role In Nation Building

    Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday acknowledged the resilient nature of women and their strategic role in national development, saying that it was important for concerted efforts to be made to protect them against abuse and anything that can inhibit their progress.

    Speaking at the 2017 National Women Summit of Oyo State Officials’ Wives Association (OYSOWA) held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Governor Ambode said women are endowed with God-given abilities to get stronger no matter the circumstances and equally make positive difference in the lives of others even at their detriment.

    The Governor, who attended the event alongside his wife, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, said the least to appreciate women is for efforts to be made to create space for them and fight for their rights.

    According to Governor Ambode, “The least we can do to appreciate our women and reciprocate their resilience and sacrifice is to give them all the support they require to achieve their dreams.

    “As a Governor, I am strongly committed and determined to create the space for our women and protect them against abuse and everything that will inhibit their progress.

    “This is my commitment and I believe, it is the same for my other colleagues, including my brother, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State whose support for his darling wife has made this event a reality.”

    While describing the theme of the summit which is “The Resilient Woman: Making a Difference,” as apt, Governor Ambode said it confirmed the hidden strengths of women which keep them going even in the face of most difficult challenges.

    He added: “It is this resilience that has made the woman the warmth and bond that keeps the family together.

    “This is very graphically expressed in the words of Eleanor Roosevelt who said “a woman is like a tea bag – you cannot tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water”. Our women have shown that they are not only strong but resilient, hardworking, gentle, loving and beautiful.

    “Over the years, the indispensability of women in governance has continued to be appreciated and recognized particularly in this part of the world. In Lagos, whenever I have the opportunity I always say this; if you want a job done well, give it to a woman. Women make the difference,” Governor Ambode said.

    Besides, Governor Ambode admonished women to positively deploy their skill set in any given position for the betterment of the country.

    In their lectures, former Vice President of Zimbabwe, Dr Joice Musuru and former First Lady of Liberia, Senator Jewel Howard-Taylor, who were the keynote speakers, said African women must be inspired to do more even when the challenge appears insurmountable and also have the desire to make positive transformation.

    They also advised women to be real, create their own stories, never give up and mentor the next generation of women leaders.

    In their goodwill messages, Governors Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and the host Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) all underscored the importance of women to nation building, saying any society or organization that position women other than the frontline role is destined for failure.

    They also called on women to revive the tradition of productivity and responsibility to the country in their children, saying such would bring about a better society, better nation and better people.

  • I was sexually abused as a child- Juliana Olayode

    Jenifa’s Diary actress, Juliana Olayode has revealed that she was abused as a child. The actress who is also a crusader on virginity took to her Instagram page to make the revelation.

    Toyo baby posted a throwback picture of herself stating that she was a victim of sexual abuse

    In her words:” My #wcw goes to this cutie. This was me, many years ago. It was about this time, the sexual abuses began. It was torment in those days… Details are in Chapter 2 of Rebirth. Have you pre-ordered yet? “

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BXlfe-PD5M5/?taken-by=olayodejuliana

     

    The sexual purity advocate whose stance on premarital sex is unshaken once said in an interview:” Sex is good, don’t get me wrong, I mean God created it and everything He made is good and beautiful but sex before marriage is what makes it bad and wrong and sex with anyone else apart from your husband or wife in marriage is bad as well”.