Metro
Rape, Death of Karen: Coalition unmasks mercenaries behind Pro-Premiere Academy NGOs
***Blast Delta State Government for working against #Justice4Keren
The Intelligence Unit of the Coalition of Gender Based Violence Responders has unmasked those parading themselves as members of the Civil Society who met with Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja last week.
Thereafter, they had issued a statement that showed that they were not interested in seeking the truth about why and how Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akpagher died, but in diverting attention from the real events, that led to the death of the 14 year old girl after being hospitalised.
According to a statement on behalf of a phantom coalition of 15 Non-Governmental Organisation, its coordinator, Deacon Okezi Odugala said they were more interested in the last 48 hours of Keren-Happuch than any other event, saying that the medical procedure where she was hospitalized ought to be scrutinized.
Keren-Happuch, a boarding student of Premiere Academy, Lugbe, died on June 22, 2021 after she contracted sepsis from the condom left inside her by a rapist, an infection which spiked her bold sugar and led to her tragic end, according to medical reports.
Responding to Odugala and his coalition, which he described as phantom, Executive Director of Men Against Rape Foundation and Leader of the Gender Based Violence Responders, Lemmy Ughegbe said since the unfortunate self-serving and diversionary statement issued by Odugala and his cohorts, the Intelligence Unit (IU) of the responders has unmasked the phantom coalition assembled by Odugala.
“Our Intelligence Unit also found that Odugala is currently the Director General of Delta State Public Procurement Commission and is therefore in breach of public service rule by running a venture which detracts from his official mandate. We shall take this up with the Government of Delta State”, he promised.
Ughegbe also noted that Odugala, being an appointee of the Delta State Government, has tacitly implied that the oil rich state was protecting Premiere Academy from being called out to account for the events leading to the hospitalization of Keren.
He said “Delta State Government, through its appointee and Director General of the State Public Procurement Commission, Deacon Okezi Odugala is seeking to shut up people for calling Premiere Academy to account for what happened to Keren especially between the 15th and 16th of June, 2021. This position by Delta State Government can only earn it the status of a hypocrite given its rapid and clear reaction and support for the closure of Dowen College in Lagos following the death of a Delta Child, 12 year old Sylvester Oromini allegedly as a result of bullying and poisoning.”
“Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has earned a good reputation and if Odugala doesn’t represent the view of the state, he must call him to order and checkmate his meddlesomeness on a matter he lacks neither the capacity nor the official license”, he added.
Ughegbe also said “Our Intelligence Unit found that of the 15 NGOs, which make up the phantom coalition, 7 are unknown, unregistered and do not have a history of any previous work or advocacy recorded to their names.”
He listed the unknown or unregistered bodies to include Women Initiative for Value Empowerment, Manpower Development Foundation, Greenalive Initiative, Chikasi Youth Foundation, Phew Children Foundation, Centre for Cultural Heritage and Tourism Development and Bethel Rights Foundation.
Our Intelligence Unit also discovered that although the other organs are registered, they have no bearing whatsoever with issues around Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).
The Intelligence Unit found that 2 of the other 8 organs are registered to focus on environmental issues and with no mandate to delve into issues around SGBV.
“Eziodu Initiative for Sustainable Environmental Development describes itself as an NGO working for environmental protection and sustainable development with special focus on rural communities in Africa and Greensphere Environmental and Community Development Initiative concerns itself with environmental issues also”, Ughegbe stated.
He also noted that “White Angels Foundation, which is part of the phantom coalition jumbled together by Odugala, was registered to focus on the promotion of the rights and health of Albinos and has nothing whatsoever to do with SGBV.
While Save The Child Foundation describes itself as “an NGO set up to fight Child Labour, the only record of any work or presence of Save The Child Foundation is a blog solely promoted by Emeka Obichukwu Ewenike, which he describes as a “topnotch blog for children, childcare, women and parental guidance.”
The Intelligence Unit also found that the known organs are all based in Delta State, mostly in Asaba and one in Warri.
“This shows the desperation of the school to shop for Civil Society mercenaries to help it out. Unfortunately, they are very disingenuous in how they have gone about it, Ughegbe noted.
He said “they should have searched Abuja well for CSOs with bias for SGBV to help them. But then, that will be a herculean task, which they cannot succeed with.”
It smacks of desperation and ineptitude to recruit people outside jurisdiction and based in Delta with no training or mandate around SGBV.
The Coalition of GBV Responders also sympathised with Premiere Academy over its crystal clear desperation that has led to using fictitious names to place lame and phony articles in the media in order to confuse the public by feeding them misinformation.
“I understand their desperation and I sympathise with them. All we are interested in his to get the rapist. And in their media propaganda, they talk of CCTV footages of 17th and 19th of June 2021. We are not interested in those ones. We are interested in the CCTV footages of 15th and 16th of June 2021. Those footages will explain what happened to Keren. Why is it so hard for them to make those footages available? Why?” the coalition leader queried.
**As thugs loyal to Abure unleash mayhem on LP protesters from Edo
There seem to be no end in sight for the crises in the Labour Party as the Edo State chapter has officially ratified the suspension of the National chairman of the party, Julius Abure.
This was contained in a correspondent to the National Headquarters of the party titled: Ratification. Of the suspension from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North qEast LGA, Edo State.
The letter which was signed by the chairman and secretary of the state chapter of the party, Com. Ogbaloi K.S.E State Chairman and Com. Akhere Frederick respectively and was copied INEC.
The Letter reads,
“Here forwarded to you and for your notification, the ratification of the suspension of Comr Barr. Julius Abure from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North East LGA. Edo State.
“The State Executive Council, Labour Party, Edo State, comprising of the State Working Committee, the 18 Local Government Chairmen and the 18 Local Government Secretaries met on the 24” of May, 2024, at about 11:00pm, to consider the matters presented on the suspension of Comr. Barr. Julius Abure by his Ward in Arue, Uromi, Esan North East LGA, and the upholding of the suspension by the LGA Excos.
“After clinical analysis of the accusation, the Council found them weighty and further ratified and upheld the suspension.
Meanwhile, Thugs suspected to be loyal to the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), on Monday unleashed mayhem on Protesters believed to be LP supporters from the Edo State chapter who were at the party National secretariat to demand Abure’s ouster.
The anti- Abure protesters stormed the party headquarters in a number of vehicles holding placards and chanting solidarity songs.
No sooner than some of the protesters stepped out of one of the vehicles than the suspected thugs swooped on the vehicles with sticks and other objects forcing the drivers to zoom off.
A detachment of armed policemen and operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) intervened when the thugs started throwing stones into the nearby Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, in pursuit of reporters who were convering the fracas.
The intervention of the security officials prevented the situation from further degenerating. A police vehicle is currently stationed in between the warring factions.
By our correspondent
The Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN) the umbrella body of Kuteb world wide has accused Gen. Theophilus Danjuma ((rtd) of deliberately distorting and inventing new history of Takum Chieftaincy to benefit his tribal people (Chamba)
Chief Emmanuel Ukwen, President General Kuteb Yantso of Nigeria stated this while addressing newsmen in Jalingo on Friday.
The accusation is coming after the recent appointment of HRH Bar. Sopiya Gboshi as chief of Takum who was presented with staff of office by Gov Agbu Kefas to succeed late Ukwe Ali Ibrahim kufang ll who died 28 years ago.
The Kuteb also accused Gen. Danjuma and his associates of making plans to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and the ancestral palace of Ukwe Takum which had been located behind the Mosque.
Chief Ukwen recalled the recent speech presented by Dajuma during the coronation of the newly appointed chief of Takum against the Kuteb and late Ukwe Takum Ali Ibrahim was unjust and unacceptable.
“It is a pity that TY Danjuma referred to late Ukwe Ali Ibrahim as a very bad and terrible chief on flimsy reasons because he was a Kuteb man and a Muslim.
Record have it that late Ukwe Ali ibrahim was an honest and peace loving leader who ruled over the people of Takum from 1963 to 1996 and was adjuged by all as a leader with fear of God.
“We have uncovered a sinister move by Danjuma and his cohorts to force the State Governor to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and the Ukwe Takum Palace which is located behind the Mosque under the guise of Urban development.
“We want the whole world to know that the graves of our late Ukwes who reigned and died are in the palace.
“Any attempt by Danjuma and his cohorts to desecrate the tombs of our fathers will amount to cultural genocide,” he said.
The Kuteb leader also accused Danjuma of preaching peace in the public while he has secretly instigated and funded many crisis in his hometown, Takum.
The very recent was the sponsoring of Fulanis to wipe out over 200 Kuteb villages preparatory to the forceful installation of a Chamba Chief inorder to weaken and silence the Kuteb people in Takum.
“The Kuteb through Ukwe Takum ruled Takum from 1510 to 1996 uninterrupted by any other tribe, how comes Danjuma is forging history that the Kutebs are people from the hills? Ukwen questioned.
Meanwhile, Gen. Danjuma during the convocation of the Chief of Takum described the Kuteb people as troublesome and urged the State Governor, Kefas Agbu to be careful with the Kuteb people.
Forefront recalls that Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria shortly after the appointment of the new chief of Takum, vowed not to recognise the newly crowned chief Sopiya Gboshi from Chamba tribe.
The Kutebs vehemently vowed not to recognise the new Chief and would exhaust every legal means to recover their ancestral stool.
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
Kogi State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of five persons in a fatal auto crash on Kabba-Obajana road in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of the state.
The State Sector Commander, Samuel Oyedeji, who confirmed the accident and death of the five to newsmen on Thursday in Lokoja said three others survived the accident with serious injuries.
Oyedeji attributed the accident which involved a Ford Galaxy space wagon and a Mazda car, to speeding and wrongful overtaking.
“The head-on collision between the two cars moving in the opposite directions happened due to speeding and wrongful overtaking by one of the drivers.
“We have been preaching against drivers flouting road safety rules and regulations, yet these motorists hardly heed our warnings.
“Five persons lost their lives in the fatal accident that left three others seriously injured,” he said.
The Sector Commander said that officers from the command immediately carried out a rescue operation at the scene of the accident and rushed the three injured persons to General Hospital, Kabba for medical attention.
Oyedeji said the remains of the five dead persons were also deposited at the mortuary of the Kabba General Hospital.
The Kogi Sector Commander admonished motorists to always endeavour to always obey road safety rules and regulations to avoid fatal auto crashes on the highways. (Ends)
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