Crime
NGO Claims 250,000 Young Nigerians Undergoing Sexual, Labour Exploitations in Mali

By Derrick Bangura.
The Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse, and Labor (NACTAL), a non-governmental organization, has raised the alarm that over 250, 000 young Nigerian boys and girls are currently enduring various forms of exploitation, including sexual and labor, in various locations around Mali.
Mr. AbduGaniyu Abubakar, the network’s National President, made the announcement on Sunday in Abuja, but urged the federal government and other relevant authorities, including civic groups, to do everything humanly possible to save them.
He was addressing shortly after the arrival at Abuja International Airport of 15 girls and a three-year-old boy who were victims of human trafficking rescued from Mali.
The victims, who were sexually exploited at Mali’s mining sites, were between the ages of 18 and 25, and had been held captive for about five years until being rescued recently.
According to the NACTAL President, the victims managed to flee their captors and sought refuge with various NGOs fighting human trafficking, sexual and child abuse and were forced to work in Mali.
Meanwhile, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which brought the children back to Nigeria, reassured that the agency would continue to do everything possible to rescue Nigerians trafficked for sexual and labor exploitations anywhere in the world.
Angela Agbayekhai, the head of NAPTIP’s Intelligent and International Cooperation Unit, warned that Mali is not a greener pasture, adding that the country is quickly becoming a destination place for sexual exploitation and child labor.
According to her, the organization was attempting to save more than 20,000 people who had been trafficked to Mali for sexual exploitation.
While lamenting their ordeals in Mali, one of the victims (names withheld) urged young girls to be wary of huge promises of success outside Nigeria.
She claimed she was deceived by a friend into going on a journey to greener pastures, not realizing she was being held captive for sexual exploitation.
One of the victims’ three-year-old son was among the victims. The infant was born in Mali, and she was forced to carry him while escaping her captors.
Crime
Police Foil Cult Initiation in Anambra, Arrest Six Suspects

The Anambra State Police Command has foiled a cult initiation ceremony in Nawfia, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesperson for the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Awka.
According to Ikenga, the operation was carried out by police operatives around 9:30am on June 15, leading to the arrest of six suspects at the scene.
Recovered during the raid were one Jojef pump action gun, two cartridges, and a golden-coloured Lexus SUV with registration number ATN 202 AE. Other items found include two cutlasses, two scissors, a cap bearing the inscription of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity, charms, and substances suspected to be hard drugs.
“They are currently undergoing police interrogation to get more insight into their modus operandi, after which the case will be charged to court on the conclusion of the investigations,” Ikenga stated.
The police spokesperson reassured residents of the command’s unwavering commitment to fighting cultism and other related crimes across the state.
Crime
Court remands 2 over alleged attempted murder

An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Wednesday, remanded two persons, Olaitan Fasasi and Kehinde Tobiloba in a correctional facility over alleged attempted murder.
Fasasi, 40, and Tobiloba, 26, whose addresses were not provided, are being charged with conspiracy, attempted murder and membership of a secret society.
The Magistrate, Mr L.A Owolabi, did not take the plea of the defendants for want of jurisdiction.
Owolabi directed the police to forward the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
He thereafter adjourned the case until May 31 for mention.
The Prosecutor, Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the defendants committed the offences at about 5.02p.m on Feb. 15, at Mushin, Lagos.
She said that Fasasi, Tobiloba and others now at large, attempted to commit murder by shooting at a resident, Alfred Ademola.
“They armed themselves with a locally made gun. They belong to Eiye Confraternity, a group proscribed by law,”, she said.
Ikhayere said that the offences contravened Sections 230(1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2012.
He said that the actions of the defendants also contravened Section 2(3)(a)(b)(c)(d) of the unlawful societies and Cultism Law of Lagos State Law.
Crime
Man jailed 3 months for stealing mobile phone

An Area Court in Jos, on Tuesday, sentenced one Jeptha John, to three months imprisonment for stealing a Redmi mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The judge, Shawomi Bokkos, sentenced the John after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
The judge, however, gave the convict an option to pay N20, 000 fine and N50, 000 restitution to the complainant.
Bokkos said that if the convict defaulted in paying the restitution, three months should be added to his sentence to make it six months imprisonment.
Earlier, the police prosecutor, Insp Monday Dabit, told the court that the case was reported at the B Division Police Station, Jos, on Dec. 1, 2024, by Ms Nerat Danjuma.
He said that the complainant alleged that the defendant trespassed into her house and stole her mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The prosecutor further told the court that the offence contravened the Plateau State Penal Code, Law of Northern Nigeria.
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