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.
The Nigeria Police Force has vowed to sanction its officers caught in a viral video receiving money from Chinese nationals, describing the act as a disgraceful breach of professionalism and a violation of the Force’s core values.
In the now widely circulated footage, several Chinese individuals are seen handing out naira notes to uniformed Nigerian policemen, who were lined up in what appeared to be a well-orchestrated arrangement. The video has since sparked widespread condemnation on social media, with many Nigerians expressing outrage and calling for systemic reform within the police.
The disturbing scene, showing armed officers accepting cash in broad daylight, has raised serious questions about the integrity and discipline of personnel within the Force.
Reacting to the incident, Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, issued a strong statement on Thursday condemning the officers’ actions as both “unprofessional and unethical.”
“The Nigeria Police Force has taken cognisance of a disturbing video making rounds in the media space, showing police officers receiving money from a Chinese national,” Adejobi stated.
“The Force has strongly condemned the conduct exhibited by the police officers in the video. The actions of the officers do not represent the established ethics, standards, and core values of the Nigeria Police Force.”
He further revealed that the officers involved have been identified and are currently undergoing disciplinary procedures, although he did not specify the nature of the sanctions to be meted out.
Adejobi assured members of the public that the incident would be thoroughly investigated and that appropriate disciplinary actions would follow.
In addition, he issued a stern warning to individuals and corporate organisations who engage the services of police officers, particularly for private escorts and guard duties, urging them to refrain from acts capable of tarnishing the image of the Force.
“The Nigeria Police Force hereby cautions individuals and organisations privileged to the services of police personnel, particularly as escorts and guards or other specialised services, to desist from any act capable of degrading the integrity of its officers and bringing the Force to disrepute,” he warned.
Amidst widespread public outrage over the collapse of a digital investment platform, CryptoBank Exchange (CBEX), which reportedly led to the loss of over N1.3 trillion in funds belonging to Nigerian investors, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reiterated its earlier warnings against patronising Ponzi schemes.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed that the anti-graft agency had long taken steps to sensitise Nigerians on the dangers of fraudulent investment schemes.
The CBEX platform, which reportedly crashed on Monday, left countless Nigerians unable to access their investments, sparking a flurry of emotional video testimonials and appeals for justice across social media platforms.
“You’ll recall that on March 11 this year, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, directed us to issue a public alert concerning 58 Ponzi scheme companies. We made that list public – that shows we were proactive,” Oyewale said.
“Regarding CBEX, we are fully aware of the situation and have been taking action. Before the outcry, we were already investigating; during the public response, we continued working, and even now, the work is ongoing.”
He stressed that the EFCC should not be blamed for the CBEX incident, noting that the platform is run by a Chinese digital trading firm with no legal ties to Nigeria.
“All the so-called offices people mentioned in Ibadan and elsewhere are not functional; the entire operation exists online,” he clarified.
Oyewale further explained that the EFCC has consistently warned Nigerians against online criminal schemes and that extensive public awareness efforts had already been made. He argued that the onus now rests on the public to be more discerning when investing their funds.
He highlighted the importance of the recently enacted Investment and Securities Act 2025, describing it as a robust legal instrument aimed at curbing unlawful investment practices.
“Any entity engaging in digital trading without a proper licence and compliance with extant laws is committing a criminal offence,” Oyewale stated.
He also cautioned Nigerians to scrutinise unrealistic investment promises.
“If someone says, ‘Bring your money and get a 100% return in 30 days,’ that’s not only impractical, it’s deceptive,” he noted. “Even with Nigeria’s prevailing interest rate at 27.5%, no legitimate investment yields such returns.”
He urged investors to verify the compliance of investment platforms with key financial regulations, including the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022, the Proceeds of Crime Act, and the Terrorism Financing Act.
Despite the grim situation, Oyewale gave hope to victims, assuring that the EFCC is collaborating with global partners to recover the lost funds.
“We are already working with Interpol and other international development agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice,” he confirmed.
“While the recovery process may not yield immediate results, we assure Nigerians that the EFCC will not abandon them. Escapism is not a solution – we are responsible and professional, and we will ensure justice is served.”
A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Tuesday struck out the defamation suit filed against controversial blogger Martins Otse, popularly known as Verydarkblackman (VDM).
The suit was instituted by renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, and his son, rapper and activist Folarin Falana, widely known as Falz.
The case stemmed from comments and a video published by VDM on 24 September 2024 via his various social media platforms.
In separate suits, the Falanas sought N500 million each in damages, accusing the blogger of defaming them by alleging in the video that they had received N10 million from social media personality Idris Okuneye, a.k.a. Bobrisky, to pervert the course of justice.
The claimants contended that the defendant knowingly published unverified and false information with the intention of tarnishing their reputation. They further argued that the defamatory content remained accessible online, thereby causing continuous reputational damage.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, neither the claimants nor the defendant was present in court.
Counsel representing the defendant, Niyi Alagbe, standing in for Marvin Omorogbe, informed the court that an application for a stay of proceedings had earlier been filed before Justice Fimisola Azeez.
Responding, the Falanas’ counsel, Omotayo Olatunbosun, confirmed receipt of the said application around 4:15 p.m. on Monday, but urged the court to hear the preliminary objection, which he noted was already ripe for hearing. He argued that the new application was merely a ploy to delay the proceedings.
Justice Matthias Dawodu, in his ruling, stated that the application was not part of the case file before him and questioned why he was being asked to continue hearing the matter when the substantive suit was before another judge.
He concluded that proceeding with the current suit would amount to an academic exercise, and accordingly, struck it out.
“Consequently, this suit is hereby struck out,” the judge ruled.
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