Clerics, parents, police boost rape, child abuse –Advocate (2)

The secretary and operations manager Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network (ACVPN), Mr. Ebenezer Omejalile, tells JULIANA FRANCIS solutions to rape in Nigeria. 

Ebenezer Omejalile

 

There’s another trending case now. A pastor told a man that anyone who marries his daughter would become prosperous; he now decided to be sleeping with his daughter. He wants to be the first to violate the girl so he would become prosperous. The girl’s mother is late. The girl ran away from home, to somewhere at OPIC, where she is looking for job and started living among vulcanizers. The guy that called us was worried that the girl could be violated at the place she ran to for solace. I spoke with her on the phone and she said that she was fine. We just need to take her away from that environment. These are some of the issues we are talking about. It is a systemic issue. The gatekeeper, who is supposed to speak out, is also an accomplice. Law enforcement officials are also trying to make things difficult. Their job should be done and done professionally. There shouldn’t be sentiment. There's a need to understand what the survivor is going through.

SOUTHERN KADUNA KILLINGS: IGP ORDERS FULL ENFORCEMENT OF CURFEW

Adamu

As part of efforts at restoring law and order in parts of Southern Kaduna affected by recent violence and other security challenges, the Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu,  has directed the Commissioner of Police (CP), Kaduna State Police Command to ensure full enforcement of the curfew imposed by the Kaduna State Government.

Dad started sleeping with me after mum's death -GO's daughter

…'he says I mustn't date anyone else'

Juliana Francis

Pastor Oyebola

On June 15, 24-year-old Blessing (real name withheld) walked into the office of Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network (ACVPN), located at the Oshodi area of Lagos, to tell the horrid story of how her father had been violating her for years.

Blessing’s mother died when she was 19 years old, leaving three children for her husband, Pastor Oluwafemi Oyebola, to cater for.

The pastor, who is the general overseer of four churches in Ogun State, converted Blessing, his oldest daughter, to his ‘wife.’

He got her pregnant thrice and carried out abortions thrice with the assistance of a matron at a general hospital in the state. The COVID-19 lockdown ensured Blessing, her father and siblings were cooped up at home.

Blessing’s siblings got used to hearing her cry in their dad’s room, but she couldn’t tell them her ordeal. When she finally summoned the courage to say no to her dad, he allegedly took to beating her.

Blessing ran away from home to stay with a friend in Lagos.

She said: “I came forward to tell my story and report my dad because my younger sister and brother are all alone with him. I don’t want him to start sleeping with my sister. He told me I was his wife. He said I must not date anyone. I don’t have friends because he disapproves of everyone he sees with me.”

Blessing recollected that in 2015, her mom, a midwife, took ill, had a partial stroke and spent two weeks in hospital. She said that her father started coming onto her when her mom was ill.

She said: “He would call me every time that he needed my help. I used to be free with him. He’s my father after all. Then he started asking me to sit close to him. I was 19 years old then. He used to say my mom was ill and no one was available to take care of him. He would ask me to hug him. He made so many moves that he scared me. 

"I used to assist him to shave and clipped his nails. I was clipping his nails one day when he told me that he would take that virginity which I was so proud of. I complained to his friend, but he didn’t believe me.

"My father took me as his wife. He made me promise not to date anyone. Whenever I was going out, he would tell me not to forget that I left my husband at home.”

Blessing added that there was a time she refused to go home, stayed in school but Oyebola came looking for her. She told people that he was not her father, that she didn’t know him. Oyebola, however, convinced people that he was her father by producing pictures.

Everyone in school turned against her for denying her father, but they didn’t know what she was fighting against.

She said: “When I got pregnant, he took me to hospital, where an abortion was carried out for me. He told the hospital I was not his daughter. Two of the abortions were done at Idiroko General Hospital by a woman called Mummy Ola. She’s a matron. The third abortion was at a private hospital. My father told her I was his wife’s apprentice. When I was asked if he was my father, I couldn’t respond. I just cried.

"Sometimes, he would have sex with me four times a day. My father has carried out three abortions for me before placing me on a Family Planning. I used to sleep in his room, but then I refused to sleep in his room. He came to my room to flog me.”

Blessing said that when she left for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), she made up her mind never to allow him to touch her anymore. But sadly after her NYSC, her father continued to abuse her.

She disclosed that during the service year, she became withdrawn, but a lady got close to her. She soon narrated her ordeal to her new friend, who linked her with a human rights lawyer. “But I withdrew from pursuing the case. He’s my father. If he was arrested, how would I and my siblings manage?” she added.

But after the COVID-19 lockdown was lifted, Blessing ran away from home, to Lagos State, to stay with a friend.

Blessing said she had cursed her father on the first day he raped her. “I cursed him with my virginity blood. I told him it would never be well with him. I believe my curse had an effect because thereafter his pastors in his churches started stealing from him,” she said.

Following Blessing’s report, members of ACVPN swung into action and made sure the 44-year-old Oyebola was arrested.

Also arrested is an assistant matron, Mrs. Monilola Ogundimu, accused of assisting the pastor to procure family planning care for Blessing.

While the police claimed Oyebola aborted thrice for his daughter, he admitted doing so only twice. He remembered it was between 2017 and 2018, before Blessing went for her NYSC in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

Oyebola said “it was the devil” who made him take to violating his daughter. “I can’t fathom why I engaged in sexual intercourse with my daughter. Having sex with my daughter was not intentional,” he said.

While denying the allegation that he started having sex with her in 2015, Oyebola insisted that the incest started in 2017.

He added: “It was not three times I carried out abortions for her. When I realised I had been consumed by the devil’s arrow, I immediately stopped. I’ve asked my daughter for forgiveness. I was hit by the devil’s arrow targeted at me by my enemies. I could not fathom how I began having sex with my own daughter. It’s a shameful act. But unlike what was reported in the media, I began to have sex with her in 2017 and not 2015 as claimed by the police. Also, the abortion I did for her was just once, not thrice.

“I never had sexual intercourse with my daughter till 2020. I got married to a new wife after the death of my first wife. While my daughter was still on NYSC, I told her I got married and she was happy for me. The misunderstanding between my daughter and I was because of domestic responsibility after her service year. She had insisted on going back to Port Harcourt in search of a job while I asked her to stay back and take care of her other siblings. This didn’t go down well with her and she vowed to expose the secret. I’m married, I cannot monitor two houses and she said no. That is the only thing that caused problems between my daughter and I. I beat her as a father and she vowed to tarnish my image and expose what we did together in 2017 and 2018. I said no problem and she ran away from the house. Other information reported was a lie!”

Oyebola also said procuring abortions for Blessing was was another great mistake. 

"The mistake came up in November ending, 2017 and that mistake came up again in 2018 before she went for service in July 2018. I didn’t do it willingly but spiritual attack made me do such things and real Christians will understand what I meant. I regret my actions and I have sought forgiveness from my daughter. 

"She has also forgiven me as she came to plead with the Commissioner of Police on my behalf. I want to sincerely beg for forgiveness from Nigerians; my action was unheard of. I seriously regret it.

“I have sinned against God and I have disappointed many Nigerians and many Christians. I pray for God’s forgiveness and I beg all Nigerians that usually pray to pray that God forgives me.”

The nurse, Ogundimu, who introduced herself as an Assistant Matron and Head, Family Planning Unit, Idiroko General Hospital, Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State, explained that she assisted  Blessing to start a family planning method as instructed by Oyebola, who introduced himself as Mr. James to her.

She said: “Until my arrest, I never knew James is the biological father of the girl. He told me that the girl was his housemaid.”

The Secretary and Operations Manager, ACVPN, Mr. Ebenezer Omejalile, said Oyebola is a pastor of Christ Apostolic Church domiciled in Owode, Ogun State. 

He added: "This man turned his first daughter into a sex slave for five years and carried out three abortions, with one leading to severe complications. Two of the abortions were carried out right inside Idiroko General Hospital by a matron known as Matron Ogundimu aka Iya Ayo.

"The matron was also responsible for the family planning which would expire next year. A private hospital, suspected to be a convalescent centre, conducted the third abortion. The worst part of the story is that this pastor is a member of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Owode Ogun State, well known by so many people. Oyebola’s church occupies two plots of land in Owode, Ogun State. 

"ACVPN has been on his trail for close to a month until July 6, 2020. After due consultations with key stakeholders, he was arrested alongside the doctor of the private hospital and the matron.”

Woman defrauds investors N15m, uses N139m on sports betting, N1m for tithes

Juliana Francis

A woman, Nkechi Mercy Ikogwe and her companies, Elites Finance Investment Limited and Efinc Global Investment Limited, were on Monday arraigned for using N139million of investors’ money on Sports betting and Spent another N1millon on payment of church tithes.  

IG orders investigation on video showing policemen terrorising lady

Juliana Francis

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, has ordered investigation into a viral video, which shows Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), terrorising and humiliating a lady, found in the home of a suspected armed robber in the Apata area of  Ibadan, Oyo State.

According to a statement signed by the Force spokesman, Frank Mba, the IGP has ordered investigations into the circumstances surrounding the dehumanising treatment meted out to the female victim in the video.

In the video, which was mostly in Yoruba, SARS Operatives went to arrest a suspected armed robber in his house and met the victim with the suspect. The victim had just completed her NYSC, after graduating from the University of Ibadan.

According to the girl, she met the guy the day she came to collect her NYSC certificate and while getting to know each other, the guy told her that he works in Lagos State, where he produces soft drinks. The victim further explained that she and the suspect were not lovers that he told her he wanted to buy some of the shoes she sells.

She further explained that it was her first time visiting the suspect and that she only came after he pleaded with her to come and cook for him.

Thereafter, the policeman rolling the camera asked about her last boyfriend and why she left him. He also asked her if she left her former boyfriend, so that she could become a lover to a robber.

The girl was further asked when she was deflowered and who deflowered her. But before subjecting her to the barrage of questions, the policemen had already seized her phone.

In the video, one of the policemen knocked down the handcuffed lady and screamed a torrent of questions at her. She fell down, stood and was shaking in fright. The policeman further threatened to punch her if she didn’t respond on time to his question. He then called her a prostitute.

The video has attracted condemnation from different quarters, compelling the IGP to launch an investigation.

Mba said: “The IGP, while condemning the act, has directed the commencement of comprehensive investigations aimed at unravelling the true identity of the perpetrators with a view to bringing them to justice. Members are hereby assured that any member of the Force found culpable in the incident will be made to face appropriate sanctions.” 

Man dehumanising lady in viral video, not a policeman

Juliana Francis

The supposed policeman, who video recorded and humiliated a lady during the arrest of a robbery suspect in Ibadan, Oyo State, is not a policeman, disclosed a senior police source.

Suspect: We kidnapped our Chinese boss for short paying, sacking us

Juliana Francis

The suspects

A 34-year-old vulcaniser, Jayeola Adelekan, working with Xinxin Energy Limited, located at the Odogbolu area of Ogun State, has revealed that he and six other men organised the abduction of his 65-year-old Chinese boss because he was fond of short paying and sacking Nigerians.

Adelekan was arrested along with six others, identified as Adetayo Adeniran, Hammed Jabiri, Animashaun Mustapa, Akeem Lawal, Moruf Razaq and Yinka Jayeola.  

The suspects were hunted and arrested after they kidnapped the 65 years old Defa Song and carried him to an unknown destination.

They were arrested by Operatives of the Force Intelligence Responses Team, IRT, headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari.

A few days after Defa’s abduction, his kidnappers asked for N50million ransom. His daughter, Hongli Song, the owner of the company, petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Mohammed about her father’s abduction.

The IGP had immediately ordered IRT, to launch a manhunt for the suspects and rescue the Chinese national. The Ogun State, annex of the IRT, were deployed and some few weeks into their investigations, Adelekan was arrested.   

Adelekan confessed that he and others, working in the company, including a guard, organised the abduction of Defa.

However, the old man fell sick while in captivity and died. After Defa died, the kidnappers stuffed him into a drum and gave the drum to fishermen to get rid of. Adelakan was used as bait to catch other members of the group.

The Police said:  “According to the suspects, after Defa started working for his daughter, he started short paying and sacking workers over any imagined error. After abducting him, they kept him in a house where they fed him with soft drinks and sausage rolls.  Four days after his abduction, he attempted to escape, but was caught and tied up. He fell sick and died. Three, among the suspects called Moses and Adelekan, who came with a drum in a car and stuffed Defa’s remains into the drum. They then tied the drum with chains. They moved the drum to a river bank and handed it to fishermen.”

Adelekan, who is married with two children, a primary school dropout, started working in Xinxin Energy Company in 2019 as a mechanic.

The suspect’s salary was N60, 000. He had worked there for three months before Defa came from China and joined the company. Defa’s first major operation after joining the company was to sack Adelekan.

Adelekan recalled: “He sacked me because I bought a vehicle with my hard earned salary. I was sacked and converted to a contract worker. One of the company’s guards, Israel, suggested we should kidnap the old man, that his daughter would pay a lot of money for his release. I called my younger brother, Hammed Jabiri, who also worked in the company and informed him about the plan. He bought the idea and invited Moses because he had some guns. In October 2019, we held a meeting and fine-tuned our plan. On February16, 2020, someone brought a Corolla car to me to fix. I felt it was a good opportunity to use the car for the operation.”

The suspect further narrated: “After fixing the car, I called my friends, Adetayo Adeniran, Dele and Hammed. We got information from the guard that Defa had stepped out of his house. We went after him and kidnapped him. We first took him to a bush close to my workshop, but Moses and Ganiu advised we move him elsewhere. We took him to the home of Morufu. Adetayo started talking to the man’s daughter. He demanded N50million as ransom, but while we were still negotiating, I got a call from those guarding Defa, that he was dead.

“Moses, who got there before me, asked me to come with a drum. They put his corpse in a sack and stuffed it into the drum. I was asked to drive to a river bank, where some fishermen were called to take the drum away in a boat. Moses was the only person that followed the fishermen to where the drum was dumped.”

Another suspect, Jabiri, who is married with three children, said a balm (Aboniki) was rubbed into the eyes of Defa immediately after he was abducted.

He said; “I’m an auto electrician and work with Xinxin Energy Company. In October 2019, Adelekan suggested we should abduct Defa, that Hongli, who owns the company, would pay a heavy ransom to get her father back. We couldn’t kidnap the man at that time because we had no operational vehicle. When Adelekan called and informed me about a car being available, I called my friend, Moses, who is a member of Aye confraternity. On the fateful day, the guard, who was our informant, called and we went and abducted Defa. I rubbed Aboniki into his eyes. Moses was even the person that organised where we kept him.  While waiting for the man’s daughter to pay the ransom, I removed my mask and he recognised me as one of those working for his daughter.  I told the guard who brought the job about it and he suggested I should kill him after I had collected the ransom. Unfortunately, the man died before the ransom was paid.”

Adediran on his part said he only joined in the abduction because he needed money to start a business.

His words: “It was my friend, who got me into this trouble.  I went to beg him to help me with a job in the Chinese company he was working for. He suggested I join in the abduction of the Chinese man. I was the person that drove the Toyota Corolla car on the day of the operation. I was hoping to use my share of the money to set up a business and start a new life. I was the person who called the owner of the company to demand for the ransom.”