National Issues
Sexual Abuse: War Against A Nation’s Future.
AMAZING, incredible, bizarre, mind-boggling, unimaginable, stupendous, tyrannical, oppressive, inane, irritating are some apt words which would describe the increasing maladies of sexual abuse being reported in environments, climes and nations.
Examples abound, old maternal father paternal fathers having incestuous sexual relationships with their daughters, often times minors, baby factories springing daily in poverty ravaged countries that cannot manufacturing toothpicks into their industrial policies, pastors/spiritualists/ woe – leaders taking advantage of their female- customers seeking spiritual solutions, ritualists severing private parts of their sex victims. There are more dragged, fierce-looking, maniacal Boko-Haram insurgents taking over towns, villages and territories, seizing their innocent young girls and for several years subjecting them to serial sexual orgies unthinkable except towards casting pornographic videos.
Helpless grannies and widows being waylaid by cudgel wielding youths, aimed robbers and kidnappers invading homes mostly at nights subjecting wives and sleeping tired mothers of these homes to brazen sex in front of their husbands, sons and daughters.
Street hawkers are lured into uncompleted homes to buy what they are not willing to sell and lecturers taking advantage of desperate students seeking admission, seasonal academic promotions and teachers in crèche, nursery, primary and secondary schools sexually abusing their teens under them. Boundless to the geographical age, gender, class or professional limitations.
Though, the burden of guilt has rested unarguably and incontrovertibly more on the men folk, the feminine folk have regrettably being equally accused especially with provocatively seductive dresses in vogue among the female gender.
An Ex-President of a foremost advanced country was sometimes ago found guilty of sexual immorality and many stars, respected icons and leading figures in the world could not and cannot absolve themselves. There is more to sex than the sense or literature could fathom.
The human psychology and physiology of victims are negatively affected sometimes for life. Many had caught STDs, HIVs, AIDs and other sexually transmitted diseases as a result of being sexually abused. Many abused minors never trust anybody again as long as they live, later in life, become frigid in response to normal legal marital sex.
Many marriages suppose to be built on trust so destroyed irreparably, before commencement. Nations are not saved from bad governance when led by victims and offenders of sexual abuse. Global insurgency, crimes and wars are often championed, initiated and financed by victims of sexual abuse whose hopes for decent living had sometimes ago been traumatized, shattered or truncated by sexual abuse tyrannical experiences.
For victims not quickly rehabilitated, sexual abuse often serve as lead to other worse crimes in Eastern Nigeria, grandmothers and victims of sexual abuse were taking courses in Karate, boxing, wrestling to defend themselves in case of future attacks. Female undergraduates take knives, scissors and harmful instruments along while studying in the campuses at nights, for self defence.
In all wars, defence is a key strategy.
However, many reasons had often been advanced as possible causes. Weak criminal prosecution system, parental neglect, poverty of the pocket, soul and mind, unemployment, deficit socio-structures and value system- exemplified in dressings, insurgency, herbal medicine abuse among others.
The emphasis of this generation is on money, making monkeys and mockeries of flawed religious messages. Lack of fear of God, in my opinion is quite central to the abnormality. I can’t figure it how a 90year old man would feel on the top of a 3year minor!
The world needs the help of a supreme being. Nigerians, my fellows are gross church goers and mass mosque devotees but the real virtues these religions preach are virtually untraceable in us, while this writer is not an adherent of the traditional religion but curiously when traditional worship dominated the African socio-cultural development, these wicked acts of humans against humans in flagrant sexual abuses were not common place.
We must move forward, not backward. A sane mind would think of ways forward. More enlightenment activities for potential victims should be done through the media in schools, churches and mosques. There should be undercover agents in communities to protect potential victims, NGO’s, foundations and civil society organizations set up to help victims should move nearer to the grassroots, perhaps to be in all the 774 local governments in say, Nigeria.
Since they are usually more effective in prosecuting offenders, accessibility to them in various local communities would expedite the prosecution process. There should be speedy review of the criminal prosecution system relating to sexual offences.
It denigrates humanity; more severe punishment for offenders would serve as deterrents. Arguably, Indonesia, Saudi, Arab, UAE and many of these organizations of Islamic countries operating strict moral and Islamic based laws have low reported cases of rape and other sexual abuse or related offences. As a nation, we can emulate these countries in this area to reduce this heinous crime. Offenders should be blacklisted from certain responsibilities; where valid cases are established, such offenders should be blamed from teaching appointments or working in areas where minors or the female gender dominate.
Intelligent reporting before crimes are committed should be encouraged. There should be society intelligence officers who should be empowered to investigate potential rape or prospective sexual abuse cases and perform surveillance on likely predators before they have opportunities to commit these crimes. Our girls must be protected and offenders prosecuted.
Men folk who suffer sexual abuse should also be encouraged to report. It is unbelievable but it does happen that men fall victims to sexual abuse. Our campuses, organizations, institutions and homes should be cleared of sexually provocative dresses, films and attitudes censoring of local sales sexual stimulants, phonographic, absence and adult films would advance the save our girls from sexual abuse project.
Without doubts, sex stimulating films litter the film industry in Nigeria and this catalyst to sexual offence must be checked. The Nigeria Films Censors Board must be alive to its responsibilities.
Leadership of nations, especially in Africa must rise to tackling the hydra headed challenge of lack of access to education and poverties of unemployment which results in spiral negative effects including sexual abuses. It is far easier for an unemployed or frustrated jobless person to engage in drug abuse, negative peer influence, rape or sexual mismeanours than someone whose positive energy has been sapped under productive efforts, engagements and channeled towards a designed future.
As concerted efforts are beamed on vices such as sexual offences, there are greater tendencies for these vices to collapse under the weight of superior virtues, preached and practised in the pulpits, and among the pews. Fundamental human right of the girl child, minors and the feminine gender to say YES/NO to voluntary sex should not be trampled upon by the tyrannical dehumanization through sexual abuse. Wars of shed blood, cries of innocent helpless souls, wounded hearts, disaffected destinies should be avoided now and the future.
Apt to conclude with were the words of the former American President Truman, during the inauguration of the United Nations Chapter on Human Rights in 1949 that “regard for human rights is indispensable to political, economic and social progress….disregard of human rights is the beginning of tyranny and, too often, the beginning of war”.
Stop Sexual Abuse, Stop War!
By Dr. Ajibola Esuola.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed a total sum of ₦1.578 trillion to the Federal Government, state and local governments for the month of March 2025, underscoring ongoing efforts to sustain intergovernmental financing and fiscal responsibility across all tiers of government.
This development was contained in a communiqué issued after the FAAC meeting, and made public by Mr Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, on Saturday.
According to the communiqué, the total distributable revenue of ₦1.578 trillion was made up of ₦931.325 billion from statutory revenue, ₦593.750 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT), ₦24.971 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and ₦28.711 billion from exchange difference earnings.
FAAC revealed that the total gross revenue available in March stood at ₦2.411 trillion, signalling a strong revenue performance. From this amount, ₦85.376 billion was deducted for the cost of collection, while transfers, interventions and refunds accounted for ₦747.180 billion.
Further breakdown of the report indicates that the gross statutory revenue of ₦1.718 trillion received in March represented an increase of ₦65.422 billion when compared to the ₦1.653 trillion recorded in February.
The disbursement reflects the continued dedication of public financial managers and revenue-generating agencies who are working relentlessly under challenging economic conditions to ensure that government at all levels is adequately funded to meet the needs of the populace.
Observers and analysts view this steady growth in revenue as a positive trajectory, albeit with the understanding that transparency, accountability and prudent utilisation of public funds remain key to achieving lasting socio-economic impact.
National Issues
Gbenga Daniel Seeks End to Immunity for Governors, Calls for Constitutional Amendment
Senator Gbenga Daniel, representing Ogun East Senatorial District, has raised concerns over the misuse of constitutional immunity by state governors and their deputies, calling for an urgent amendment to the relevant section of Nigeria’s constitution.
Speaking on Political Paradigm, a Channels Television programme aired on Tuesday, the former governor of Ogun State (2003–2011) argued that Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, which shields sitting governors and their deputies from both civil and criminal prosecution, has been widely abused.
Section 308 of the Nigerian Constitution grants immunity to the President, Vice President, governors, and deputy governors while in office, effectively barring legal proceedings against them throughout their tenure. However, Daniel insisted that this provision has been misused to avoid scrutiny and justice.
The senator’s remarks have stirred renewed debate about constitutional reform and accountability in public office, especially at a time when governance and transparency remain major concerns in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Daniel’s call adds to the voices of other stakeholders who have advocated for a more accountable leadership structure and a constitution that upholds justice irrespective of office held.
As of press time, there has been no official response from the Nigerian Governors’ Forum regarding Senator Daniel’s comments.
TEXT OF THE BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES, DECLARING STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE ON TUESDAY 18 MARCH 2025
Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.
With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to the benefit of the good people of the state. The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.
Also, it is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them.
On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms:
“a government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”
The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected
“are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members”
The Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated.
Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.
Apart from that both the House and the governor have not been able to work together.
Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.
The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.
With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.
In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th March, 2025 and I so do.
By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.
In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.
The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.
This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.
Long live a united, peaceful, secure and democratic Rivers State in particular and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a whole.
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