Etim Canice Okon, a naval officer, is trying to convince the Nigerian police in Calabar that he had not been raping his daughter, but cleaning her up when her cry attracted people to his house, leading to his arrest.

The 48-year-old officer, who said it was not unusual for babies to cry at that age, allegedly started sleeping with the toddler when she was just one year old and had previously threatened to send his wife packing should she report his action to family members or members of the public.

But news of the alleged assault eventually got out and a representative of the federation of women lawyers in Cross River State, Rosemary Onah, petitioned the state commissioner of Police and commissioner of Women Affairs on behalf of Mrs Etim, the victims’ mother over the rape.

Confirming the arrest of the victim, the state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Baba Ahmed said the suspect had raped his daughter about four times before the act became public, stressing that the incident started when the victim was only one year old.

“Raping of minors, especially one year old girls, is becoming rampant here. Maybe it is done for ritual purposes; if not, how come a man of almost 50 years of age will defile his daughter.

This is unbelievable and abominable”, Mr Ahmed said..

Prepared for court

He said the suspect will not be released until investigation is completed, adding that he will be taken to court as soon as possible to obtain a court order to remanded him in police custody pending further investigations.

“We are not going to release him on bail because the offence is criminal,” he said, “We will take him to court for court order which will enable us remand him in our custody for further investigations.” The Police Commissioner said the family has conducted medical examination on the baby, which confirmed that she had been raped several times.

“Our findings revealed that before now, the father of the victim was living together with the wife and six other children made up of five boys and a girl who is the victim of rape.

The poor girl happens to be his last born. This girl is likely to grow up with this trauma. How will she get over it?” he said.

Meanwhile, the mother and other children have relocated to an undisclosed apartment in Calabar where they are fending for themselves.

The male dominated media loves to promote the image of irrational, emotional, drama queens who are at constant odds with each other. Reality television shows keep us inundated with the “cat-fights” and foolishness of these so-called ’real’ women, who thrive on negative energy and attention. Yet no one ever talks about ‘Divos’ the drama kings of this world who equally have a flare for the dramatic. I dated a man who loved to argue; he would say anything to get a rise out of me. I should have known that something was up when he said “if I wanted to, I could get with your sister.” When I looked at him like he was crazy, then he tried to shrug it off, as a ‘just a joke.’

It is not as socially accepted for men to behave in such a way, like Jay-Z said “males shouldn’t be jealous that’s a female trait,” which I completely disagree with because there are plenty of men who are just as guilty of bringing on the drama. Here are a couple of tips to let you know if your new guy is a Divo:

1. Every time you talk to him he has an elaborate story: Who knows why he does this or maybe his mom never gave him enough attention so he has to have your undivided attention– always. These stories will get grander and grander over time but dealing with his fantasy life can be a huge task, so just be ready to put in the work.

2. He tries to pull you in on act: He needs this fix so bad that he decides to pick a fight with you. He will say anything to push your buttons. Or he may pair himself up with a drama queen, when I was in college, there was this guy who seemed really laid back and nice. he would purposely talk to other girls on campus so that his girlfriend would want to fight him, while he just sat back and laughed under his breath as she created a huge scene on the yard. Who knows, maybe it was his time of the month so he needed to transfer that negative energy to her. That’s an extreme case but if this happens on a smaller level even once it will happen again..

The Nigeria Police have commenced the transfer of some of its officers in the South-East in an effort to combat the increasing spate of violent crimes in the zone. The News Agency of Nigeria,in Awka, on Monday, gathered that the transfers affected mainly officers in Anambra and Abia States commands because of the rampant cases of kidnapping in the areas.

Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra, Emeka Chukwuemeka, confirmed that the transfers had started, but said he could not ascertain the number of officers transferred from the state. “The exercise is ongoing and involves officers, who have spent five years and above in one location,” he said.

A police source, who asked not to be named, said that policemen who had stayed long in the states were either abetting crime or sabotaging the efforts of the command. The source said that in Anambra alone, more than 3,000 officers and men were affected by the transfer to other states, including Sokoto and Borno. “More than 500 senior police officers are also affected,” he said...

Nigeria took a major step towards advancing to the second round of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Japan in Augsburg. The Falconets, who had drawn England 1-1 to open Group C, now have four points and are sure to be in a good position no matter what happens in the later match between England and Mexico..

The Japanese drew Mexico 3-3 in a thrilling come-from-behind encounter in the first round of matches, but there was not enough drama for them on Saturday as Nigeria made Amarachi Okoronkwo and Desire Oparanozie’s early goals stand-up despite Mana Iwabuchi’s second half consolation.

The west Africans scored the opener in just the 6th minute after Ebere Orji’s tricky cross caused a miscommunication between Shoko Yamada and goalkeeper Erina Yamane. With a race to the ball Okoronkwo proved the fastest to touch in her first goal of the finals.
The discouraging defensive lapse was multiplied just minutes later from what was just Nigeria’s second shot on goal. As have all of the Falconet’s goals in the tournament, it was created by Orji, in this case bursting with menace down the left flank. And again it was the same combination that struck against England, with Oparanozie finishing coolly at the back post.

Japan were then two goals down for the second match on the trot, and just as they did against the Mexicans, they showed great spirit in their fight-back. Before half-time the impressive Iwabuchi created a chance - but Nigeria goalkeeper Alaba Jonathan denied Natsuki Kishikawa - and spurned one of her own when she dwelled on the ball when all alone in the area in injury time.

With Japan pushing and the Nigerians comfortable in attack, the match came to life in the second period, with Iwabuchi and Kishikawa going close in the early going, and the Falconets showing how dangerous they could be as Esther Sunday played a quick one-two with Orji through the heart of the Japanese defence. Iwabuchi was the next star to shine, and she found the net thanks to her clever speed of thought and being quickest to take advantage of some shaky goalkeeping moments in the 62nd minute.

But the Japanese sputtered on the rocks of Sunday and Orji, who continued to dominate proceedings through the last half hour, and the best chance to score in the final moments fell to Oparanozie at the end of a lightning-fast African counterattack..

Nigeria will next face Mexico on Wednesday in Bochum, while Japan take on England at the same time in Bielefeld.

However, Nigerian police spokesman. Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu confirmed the release of the journalists on Sunday on telephone..

Mustapha Onoyvieta, the army colonel that was an Aide de Camp, (ADC) to late President Yar'Adua has been ordered back from his command training to face a probe for the role he played in events during the illness of the late president.

Sources close to the Presidency say Goodluck Jonathan has finally bowed to pressure and a probe has been instituted into the activities of Mr. Onoyvieta and other aides of the late president.

At least four of these aides are reported to be under investigation.

Apart from Mr.Onoyvieta, the late president's Chief Security Officer (CSO), Yusuf Tilde; the former commander of the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF), Aminu Adamu; the former administrative officer at the Presidency, Muhammeed Dodo, are all apparently being queried.Photo Adc to Late Yaradua Onoyiveta

The probe is going to centre on disregard for superior authority, deliberate hoarding of information and misinformation pertaining to the health status of the late president, and misappropriation of funds.

Now this begs the question What about Turai Yaradua What role did she play in this charade and will she be prosecuted ?

Comfort Monday is seven months pregnant and she is an inmate at the Kirikiri Female Prison in Lagos State. Since January 2010, Ms Monday has been locked up for an offence she claims she did not commit, courtesy of the man she says is responsible for her pregnancy. She appears to be paying the price of coming from a poor background.

She recalls how, about 18 months ago, while living with her father and siblings in Port Harcourt, her father told her to accompany to Lagos, their landlord’s friend, one Wintua Nadu, who was in need of a female assistant.

In Lagos, Mr Nadu, whose residence doubles as his shop and is located on Owode Street in Abule Egba, a suburb of Lagos State, enrolled her in a secondary school nearby. But soon after she became his house-help, she said the man she regarded as an ‘uncle’ began sleeping with her, and subsequently stopped her education.

“I came from village and was doing house-girl for him. That is when he started sleeping with me. It has been long. At first I was going to school but after like a month, I stopped. I was in JSS 2 that time. If I am not doing housework, sometimes I will sell in the shop,” said Ms Monday.

The alleged sexual abuse did not stop and she later became pregnant. According to her, when she told him she had missed her period, Mr Nadu, who is about 50 years old, beat her thoroughly. In late January 2010, Ms Monday says, he travelled, after instructing her to sell some compressors worth about N95,000 in the shop, and give the money to his gateman; which she did but the said gateman allegedly disappeared with the money.

Journey to prison

When he returned and was told the gateman had made away with the money, he got police officers from the Oko Oba Police Station to arrest Ms Monday and a neighbour, identified as Kennedy, for theft. He further claimed that Ms Monday stole an additional N200,000 from his safe in the house and accused Kennedy of being responsible for Ms Monday’s pregnancy.

“If I stole that kind of money, why will I still remain in the house? He brought me from village. Where will I even go? Who do I know in Lagos? Nobody! One naira, I don’t have in my pocket. Kennedy is just a neighbour; he has nothing at all to do with this matter. I don’t know why he arrested him. Or is it because he has seen us talking before? I swear, he is innocent,” she said.

Both Ms Monday and Mr kennedy were arraigned at the Abule Egba Magistrate Court on January 26, 2010, where they both pleaded not guilty. But while Kennedy secured bail for himself, Ms Monday could not, and has been languishing in prison since then, even as her due date draws near. At present, she has no legal representation.

A question of age

A twist in Ms Monday’s situation is her age. She says she was 16 when Mr Nadu brought her to Lagos in 2009. If true, she would be 17 years old in 2010. By law, if less than 18, she is a minor and it would be illegal for her to be remanded in prison.

In a telephone conversation, Ms Monday’s father, Ezekiel Monday, who is a farmer in Elele Alimini, Rivers State, confirmed her age, while lamenting the plight of his daughter in the hands of the man he entrusted her to..

“It never reach two years my pikin follow my landlord friend. And that time na 16 years she be. Na because she no dey do anything for village, people talk make I let am follow am go Lagos, that she go school for there,” Mr Monday said.

“I no collect any money from the man. I just tell am make he take care of her. As I come hear say she steal money, I no believe because even for village here, nobody don ever report say she be thief. We know say the man na big man so we dey beg am please make him release my daughter.”

When NEXT contacted Mr Nadu, whose wife and children are said to live abroad, he requested a one-on-one interview. But when a telephone call was made to him one hour after he failed to show up at the agreed place, he threatened not to spare NEXT if this story is published.

“Have you verified your facts? Don’t go and publish anything that will cost your company a lot of money o! Otherwise, I will not spare anybody in this matter because this matter is a very bad matter,” Mr Nadu said.

On another occasion when NEXT called, he handed the phone to a man who did not disclose his full name but who identified himself as a lawyer. The said lawyer stated that he would not make any comments as “it will pre-empt the judgment of the court and influence the outcome of the case” being heard at the Kirikiri Magistrate Court, Apapa..

Ms Monday’s next court date is July 19, 2010 and, according to her, she is praying for a miracle, as she does not want to give birth to her child while in detention. She is desperate and alone. She came to Lagos dreaming of a better life. Now, all she wants is to return to her village, where she knows people and feels safe...

poor soldiers i mean lastma guys.

Four soldiers and two naval officers have beaten three officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA into unconsciousness at Mile 2 area of Lagos State, Nigeria.

The LASTMA officers-Gbenga Ajayi-Bembe, Akeem Bisiriyu and Abiodun Kayode were battered by the military men while trying to tow a broken down trailer obstructing traffic at Mile 2.

They were immediately rushed to the Gbagada General Hospital for treatment where they were revived after remaining in a state of unconsciousness for sometime.

P.M. NEWS gathered that trouble started when the Head, Zone 5, LASTMA had asked Kayode, the LASTMA towing vehicle driver to go and tow a trailer, which broke down at Mile 2 ‘Oke.’

The owner of the trailer was said to have called in the soldiers and naval officers who came and gave Kayode the beating of his life.

The soldiers successfully removed the trailer that had already been carried by the towing van and drove off while Kayode contacted his boss to come to his rescue, and then chased after the fleeing trailer being driven by the soldiers.

Getting to First Gate, Mile 2, Kayode used his towing vehicle to block the trailer while the soldiers came down and descended on him and beat him mercilessly until he collapsed into a state of unconsciousness, while two other officers came to rescue him.

The other two officers-Ajayi-Bembe and Bisiriyu who came to rescue their colleagues were also thoroughly beaten until they also became unconscious while the soldiers and the naval officers took the trailer away.

Speaking with P.M. NEWS, Kayode narrated the story, saying that “my boss told me to go and tow a trailer which broke down at Mile 2 Oke. I had already jacked the trailer into the towing van when the owner went to call two soldiers and they beat me up and removed the trailer from the van...

“I called my boss to come to my rescue and I pursued the trailer to first gate and blocked it. More soldiers and naval officers came and they beat me until I fainted.

“They beat my two other colleagues into unconsciousness and they smashed the windscreen of the towing van. I was soaked in blood before I passed out. The area boys in the area also started throwing stones at us.”

The three LASTMA officers also sustained severe injuries.

As at the time of filing this report, Bisiriyu was still seriously in bad condition in the hospital as he could not talk.