Crime
Gov. Ortom’s wife sues for elimination of harmful widowhood practices

Dr Eunice Ortom, wife of Benue’s Gov. Samuel Ortom, on Thursday in Makurdi appealed that all hands be on deck to eliminate practices harmful to widows.
She spoke at a one-day consultative forum on a proposed bill on the elimination of harmful widowhood practices and the inclusion of women in traditional leadership in Benue.
She lamented that a lot of women had lost their lives to harmful widowhood practices, noting that most widows were ejected from their homes at the death of their spouses.
“They are denied even access to farmland and the right to other inheritances.
“In some cases their children are taken away from them and they are denied access to the children,’’ Ortom lamented.
She noted also that widows faced all forms of demeaning situations ranging from rights abuses and indignity.
“It is the responsibility of all and sundry to join hands and fight to end harmful practices against widows,’’ she stressed.
She also called for the inclusion of women in traditional leadership, at least at the grassroots level because, according to her, women are good providers of solutions.
In her remarks, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Tabitha Igirgi, commended the governor’s wife for initiating the bills, stressing that the ministry would give them the desired support.
Meanwhile the state’s Chairperson, Gender-Based Violence Advocacy and Policy Implementation Committee, Prof. Magdalyne Dura, said the bill on eliminating harmful widowhood practices sought to establish a commission to rehabilitate Benue widows.
She appealed to men to always protect their women and children against all manners of abuses.
Chairman, Benue chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Akpen Leva, pledged that the Church would support the initiative, adding that it was quite laudable.
Mrs Agnes Uloko, member representing Ado at the Benue House of Assembly, encouraged men to ensure they wrote their Wills to prevent their families from taking charge of their property at their demise.
The consultation was organised by Eunice Spring of Life Foundation in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady of Benue and the Benue Gender Based Violence and Policy Implementation Committee.Dr Eunice Ortom, wife of Benue’s Gov. Samuel Ortom, on Thursday in Makurdi appealed that all hands be on deck to eliminate practices harmful to widows.
She spoke at a one-day consultative forum on a proposed bill on the elimination of harmful widowhood practices and the inclusion of women in traditional leadership in Benue.
She lamented that a lot of women had lost their lives to harmful widowhood practices, noting that most widows were ejected from their homes at the death of their spouses.
“They are denied even access to farmland and the right to other inheritances.
“In some cases their children are taken away from them and they are denied access to the children,’’ Ortom lamented.
She noted also that widows faced all forms of demeaning situations ranging from rights abuses and indignity.
“It is the responsibility of all and sundry to join hands and fight to end harmful practices against widows,’’ she stressed.
She also called for the inclusion of women in traditional leadership, at least at the grassroots level because, according to her, women are good providers of solutions.
In her remarks, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Tabitha Igirgi, commended the governor’s wife for initiating the bills, stressing that the ministry would give them the desired support.
Meanwhile the state’s Chairperson, Gender-Based Violence Advocacy and Policy Implementation Committee, Prof. Magdalyne Dura, said the bill on eliminating harmful widowhood practices sought to establish a commission to rehabilitate Benue widows.
She appealed to men to always protect their women and children against all manners of abuses.
Chairman, Benue chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Akpen Leva, pledged that the Church would support the initiative, adding that it was quite laudable.
Mrs Agnes Uloko, member representing Ado at the Benue House of Assembly, encouraged men to ensure they wrote their Wills to prevent their families from taking charge of their property at their demise.
The consultation was organised by Eunice Spring of Life Foundation in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady of Benue and the Benue Gender Based Violence and Policy Implementation Committee.
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.
Crime
Army apprehends 15 over suspected oil theft in Niger Delta

Troops of the Nigerian army have apprehended no fewer than 15 persons over suspected oil theft and illegal oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta.
Lt.-Col. Danjuma Danjuma, the Spokesman, Nigerian Army, 6 Division, Port Harcourt, said in a statement on Monday that the operations were carried out in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers recently.
Danjuma said that the army apprehended 15 persons, dismantled 32 artisanal refineries and seized 14 boats during operations.
He further said that during the operations, conducted between Jan. 6 and 12, the troops confiscated no fewer than 60,000 litres of various petroleum products
The spokesman said that the operations were part of a broader collaborative effort with other security agencies to combat oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
Danjuma said that the raid commenced in Bille, Degema Local Government Area, and Rivers, where soldiers dismantled seven illegal refining sites, confiscated 20,000 litres of crude oil, and destroyed two boats.
“We also deactivated ten illegal refineries, several crude oil cooking pots, and receivers, and recovered about 19,000 litres of stolen petroleum products along the Imo River.
“In Odagwa, Etche, our troops intercepted three boats carrying about 12,000 litres of stolen crude oil and arrested three suspects in the process.
“Similar operations were carried out in Abiama, Asa, Obuzor, Okoloma, Ozaa, Ukwa, and Oyigbo” he added.
He stated that the soldiers advanced to Nkisa in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers, where they confiscated 1,600 litres of crude oil and 1,200 litres adulterated diesel.
Danjuma said that along Ndoni Road, the troops intercepted a Toyota van transporting an estimated 1,200 litres of stolen condensate.
The spokesman said that in Buguma, Asari-Toru, Rivers, the troops dismantled two illegal refineries, seized 1,500 litres of stolen crude oil, and apprehended five suspects.
“In Baberegbene, Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa, our soldiers dismantled an illegal artisanal refinery and intercepted a wooden boat carrying no fewer than 1,500 litres of stolen
“Similarly, an illegal refining site containing an unquantified quantity of stolen petroleum products was deactivated in Emago-Kugbo and Oluasiri communities in Nembe, Bayelsa.
“The operations continued in Akwa Ibom and Delta, where troops maintained a strong presence and effectively denied economic saboteurs the liberty to operate,” he said.
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