News
Police Bust Underage Prostitution Ring In PH
Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command, over the weekend, rescued some underage girls forced into sex slavery in brothels at Azikiwe Street, Mile 2, Diobu, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, DSP Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the operation to newsmen, yesterday, added that some suspects were also arrested at the brothels.
But she refused to give further details.
But it was gathered that relative of one of the underage girls involved in the prostitution had asked officers of Rumuolumeni (Iwofe) Police Station in Rivers to help rescue the girl.
However, the officers of the Rumuolumeni Police Station alerted Azikiwe Police Division in charge of the jurisdiction where the brothel is located, leading to the operation.
Speaking on the incident, Chairman of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign in Rivers State, Barrister I.K. Alexander, called on the police to synergise with National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP) to ensure proper prosecution of arrested suspects.
Alexander said his team visited the street on Saturday afternoon after the raid on the brothel by the police.
He said the team observed that the ‘madams’ who normally bring the underage girls from outside the state on the pretence of enrolling them to learn one trade or the other in Port Harcourt, got feelers that the police were coming back to raid the other brothels in the area.
He said because of this, the ‘madams’ had moved the girls to an unknown destination before his team arrived.
Alexander further called on the Rivers State Government to partner with NAPTIP to ensure regular surveillance on all the brothels in the state as the rate of teenage prostitution, sex slavery was alarming.
He also suggested that aside the arrest of the ‘madams’, directors, managers of brothels where underage girls are being use for prostitution are also prosecuted, while urging residents of the state to join in the fight against sex slavery by giving useful and timely information to NAPTIP and other relevant security agencies.
He added that his group would monitor progress on the matter to ensure justice was served.
In his reaction, a resident of the area, Peter Okosa, commended the police for the rescue of the underage girls in a brothel.
Okosa disclosed that the older commercial sex workers who were no longer attractive to prospective male customers go to villages to bring underage girls between 13 -16 years old, deceiving their parents that they were coming to learn trade, and upon arrival at the brothels, the girls were made to swear an oath of secrecy.
He said the older commercial sex workers referred to as ‘madams’ collects between N500 to N1,000 for ‘short time’ and N2,500 to N3,000 for daybreak’ from male customers who have sex with the teenage girls.
Okosa revealed that the underage girls are given target of N20,000 every day, and failure to meet the target attracts physical torture from their ‘madams’.
He explained that each ‘madam’ has minimum of five underage girls working for her and the teenage girls are not allowed to go outside the brothel, neither are they allowed to use mobile phones.
“The people who make their hair come inside the brothel to make their hair while their ‘madams’ buy body cream, food and clothes for them for 12 to 18 months before they are freed.
“We urge the Rivers State Government and relevant security agencies to extend their surveillance to other brothels in Diobu and Rivers State at large with a view to rescuing more underage girls being used as sex slaves”.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.