Crime & Court
Herdsmen took turns to rape me in my farm
A 72-year-old grandmother, Victoria Akinseye, was in tears as she displayed the torn under wears she wore the day suspected herdsmen took turns to rape her on her farm in Ore, Odigbo council area of Ondo State.
Victoria said the herdsmen had done the unthinkable and would reap the fruit of their wickedness to her. Actually two women were raped same day at different farms and times in the agrarian community by suspected herdsmen. The other victim, Ebun Olarewaju, is much younger.
Early this month, a farmer, identified as Orimisan Omowole, was also hacked to death by suspected herdsmen in the town. Narrating her ordeal, Akinseye said, “I was working on my farm when two men attacked me from behind, held my neck such that I couldn’t ask for help.
They tore my clothes and took turns to rape me.” According to her, a fellow farmer who was on his way to his farm later that day saw her where the herdsmen had abandoned her after the rape and took her home. She said her life had not remained the same since after the rape. ‘“When we reported the incident to our monarch, we were told I must do a sacrifice, to prevent any bad occurrence in my family.
I even had to beg for money to buy items for the ritual. My life is in ruins”. The septuagenarian farmer said she had however cursed those who raped her for their wickedness to “an old woman who could have been of the same age with their mothers.” Disturbed by the latest development, youths and farmers across the 18 council areas of the state marched through the streets of Akure, the state capital, protesting the menace of herdsmen. For hours, the protesters disrupted business and commercial activities.
The protesters, acting under the auspices of Ondo State Youth Coalition, OSYC, threatened “to take the law into their hands if the state government failed to address the issue immediately”. They described herdsmen’s activities as dangerous and a signal of imminent crisis in Ondo State. Their spokesperson, Olusola Adekanmbi, said herdsmen had “not only raped and destroyed farms in the state, they had also resorted to killing, terrorising and kidnapping farmers on their farmlands”.
He went on: “One of the farmers, Orimisan Omowole, was murdered in his farm in Odigbo local government area of the state. “After killing him, they took out his heart and placed it on his chest “We are not against cattle rearing or saying cattle rearing should be banned but we want free grazing of cattle in our farms at our expense with wanton destruction of our crops and means of livelihood to be stopped forthwith. “Cattle-rearing is a legitimate and profitable business. “But it is not acceptable for cattle-rearers to do their business at our expense and even at the expense of our lives and security.
“We believe the herdsmen have refused to do what civilised herdsmen do worldwide by confining their cattle to ranches and similar enclosure because to do so would mean their having to bear the cost of feeding their cattle”. The protesters pleaded with Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and the state House of Assembly to enact a law to stop incessant attacks by herdsmen in order to protect farmers and their farms and to ensure security of lives.
“The herdsmen are trying to make farming impossible for our people who are now afraid to go to their farms”, the OSYC leader said. “The Fulani herdsmen have become terrorists who attack, kill, maim and rape our women and even burn their farms. “They are taking advantage of our civilised way of life for cowardice but if we are pushed beyond our tolerant threshold, we can be militant as the other groups and they should take notice that terror breeds terror.” Meanwhile, the state government is said to be proposing an anti – open grazing bill to curtail herdsmen’s attacks in Ondo. Sources close to government said cases of destruction of farmlands, incessant attacks and killing of farmers and rape of women in the last three weeks was worrisome.
Speaking with Sunday Vanguard, the Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor on Agriculture, Mr. Akin Olotu, said the menace of herdsmen was getting out of hand, saying no fewer than four farmers were killed in the last three weeks by suspected herdsmen. Apart from this, Olotu said about ten hectares of cassava farmland was destroyed by suspected herdsmen and their cattle in Owo while some farmers were injured during the attack. He said the activities of herdsmen were not limited to a particular area in the state but across the state.
“The state government is worried about this development. Though herdsmen are doing their business, they have been using their business to destroy other businesses. “The destruction of farmlands has been a source of concern to farmers in the state, while those who are just embracing farming, as a source of livelihood, have been discouraged. “Farmers have lost a lot of money to these destructions after obtaining loans from bank to finance farm projects. Farm produce cannot be stored in the barn any longer”.
According to him, ponds and apiary worth millions of Naira were destroyed by cattle and herdsmen in a particular location in the state, saying the fishes were harvested while the honey comb was stolen by the invading herdsmen. He hinted that the state government was proposing anti-open grazing bill to stem down the menace of herdsmen while herdsmen operating in the state and their cows would be registered with codes to identify them.
Olotu, who advocated for the modern method of rearing cattle in the country, called on security agencies and stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the state. Ondo State Police Command confirmed the arrest of some suspects in connection with the killing of the farmer in Ore.
Its image maker Femi Joseph said the command was not folding its hands but working to ensure that the people of the state sleep with their two eyes closed. Joseph promised hard times for criminals in Ondo, advising them to either repent from their evil ways or relocate from the state.
Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an accelerated trial of four bloggers accused of defaming and cyberstalking the management of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), including its Group CEO, Mr. Segun Agbaje.
The defendants—Precious Eze, Olawale Rotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami—face a 10-count amended charge for allegedly publishing false and defamatory content about GTCO on various social media platforms.
During proceedings on November 13 and 14, Justice Faji dismissed their bail applications, citing the severity of the charges, which carry potential penalties of up to 14 years in prison.
The judge specifically noted that Precious Eze had previously been charged with a similar offense in another court and was on bail at the time of the alleged actions, demonstrating a likelihood of reoffending.
Justice Faji emphasized the destabilizing impact such actions could have on the banking sector, pointing to the cross-border nature of some of the allegations.
“The regulatory oversight of institutions like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should not be undermined by false claims,” the judge remarked, referencing GTCO’s CBN-approved audited statements.
At the previous hearing, defense counsel Afolabi Adeniyi had urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, arguing that the defendants were ready to stand trial.
However, the prosecution counsel, Chief Aribisala, SAN, opposed the motion, raising concerns about the defendants potentially absconding and stressing the need for a swift trial.
In his ruling, Justice Faji rejected the defense’s plea, ordering an expedited trial to address the case’s significant implications for the financial industry.
The trial has been adjourned to December 10 and 12 for continuation.
Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has raised concerns over widespread corruption in Nigeria’s electricity sector, attributing frequent national grid failures to fraudulent practices involving substandard materials.
Olukoyede made these remarks on Tuesday during a visit from the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
He revealed that ongoing investigations in the power sector had exposed disturbing levels of malpractice, often resulting in compromised infrastructure and recurrent grid collapses.
“As I am talking to you now, we are grappling with electricity. If you see some of the investigations we are carrying out within the power sector, you will shed tears,” Olukoyede stated.
He further explained that contractors awarded projects to supply electrical equipment were substituting recommended materials with cheaper, inferior alternatives.
“People who were awarded contracts to supply electricity equipment, instead of using what they call 9.0 gauge, they will buy 5.0,” he said, noting that such fraudulent practices contribute significantly to the country’s unstable power supply.
“So, every time you see the thing tripping off gets burnt, and all of that, it’s part of our problems.”
The EFCC boss disclosed that the agency would be intensifying efforts toward crime prevention rather than focusing solely on asset recovery.
He emphasized that future scrutiny would prioritize spending by government ministries and agencies to curb misappropriation at the source.
Crime & Court
Nigerian Man Wanted for Child’s Murder Added to U.S. Marshals’ “15 Most Wanted” List, $25,000 Reward Offered
A Nigerian man, Olalekan Abimbola Olawusi, 48, is now among the U.S. Marshals Service’s “15 Most Wanted” list.
Authorities are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for any information that results in his arrest.
He is sought on charges including first-degree murder, causing serious bodily harm to a child, and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, according to a report on the U.S. Marshals Service’s website.
Olawusi was charged with first-degree murder and two counts of causing serious bodily harm to a child after emergency personnel in Providence, Rhode Island, found his 3-month-old son with severe injuries on April 3, 2017.
The infant was in cardiac arrest and needed resuscitation to restore a pulse. A medical examination later revealed the child had 18 injuries in various stages of healing, consistent with prolonged abuse.
These injuries included a skull fracture, severe brain injury, and fractures to the ribs, clavicle, and limbs. Tragically, the child died six months later, despite life support efforts.
Providence Police initially arrested Olawusi on April 20, 2017, on charges of first-degree child abuse. He was released the same day but fled after the child’s death on October 31, 2017, at which point the charge was upgraded to murder.
In June 2017, Olawusi reportedly left the United States from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, traveling to Nigeria on his Nigerian passport. Authorities suspect he may be receiving support from relatives in Nigeria and have voiced concerns that he could pose a danger to other children.
“Mr. Olawusi is wanted for the abuse and murder of an innocent child, and has fled the country to avoid justice,” said U.S. Marshals Service Director Ronald L. Davis.
“We have placed Mr. Olawusi on our 15 Most Wanted list due to the heinous crimes he’s committed and the threat he continues to pose to the public. The USMS will exhaust all resources necessary to bring him to justice for his family and the community.”
Olawusi, also known as Olekun Olawusi, is described as approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing around 185 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Authorities encourage anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-WANTED2 (926-8332) or via the USMS Tips App.
The “15 Most Wanted” fugitive programme, established in 1983, identifies some of the most dangerous and high-profile fugitives in the U.S. Known for their extensive criminal backgrounds, these fugitives often pose significant risks to public safety.
Since its creation, the programme has led to the capture of over 250 high-risk individuals, including murderers, sex offenders, and organized crime figures.
In collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Marshals Service plays a crucial role in fugitive investigations.
In fiscal year 2023 alone, USMS-led fugitive task forces arrested over 73,000 fugitives and resolved nearly 86,000 warrants, demonstrating their commitment to public safety and justice.
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