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‘Suspected kidnappers used my boy as collateral to buy rice’
A 12-year old Junior Secondary School (JSS-2) student, (name witheld), who was allegedly used to buy two bags of rice by suspected kidnappers has been found.
His father, Pastor Joshua Ogbonna on Sunday in Lagos that suspected kidnappers allegedly took his son and used him to buy two bags of rice valued at N180,000 from a food stuff seller.
He said that on Friday, March 1, at about 9.00 a.m., his son was asked to buy moi-moi (bean-pudding) for family breakfast and did not return home.
According to him, the boy went to the place to buy the moi-moi, the seller told him it was not ready, but collected the money and told him to return when it is ready.
He said some minutes later, his boy went back to the woman to collect the moi-moi, but the boy never returned.
“We were looking for him everywhere, we went to the place he was supposed to buy the moi-moi and asked the lady selling.
she explained that the boy was there earlier but the moi-moi was not ready, she collected N1000 from him and asked him to come back later.
“She explained that when he came back, he came with a man and the lady thought the man was his father, the man collected the moi-moi from her and they both left.
“She said the man was putting on white top and black trousers, dark in complexion. I told her we have been looking for him, and there after, we went to New Oko-Oba Police Division at Abule-Egba, to make entry, so that they can help me look for my child,” he said.
Ogbonna further explained that while they were still at the station, around 5.00 p.m., he received a call from another police officer, who said he was calling from Red House Police Station, Iju Ishaga.
Ogbonna said that the officer told him his son was with them and he should come to the station.
He said he went there with three policemen from New Oko-Oba Police Division, Where they told the officer that there was a report of a missing child.
“The police officer, who called me said, this is not a case of a missing child, but theft.
The officer said the child stole two bags of rice. I asked, how can a 12-year old boy steal two bags of rice, I told the officer that we live in Abule-Egba.
The police showed me a footage of two men and the boy, who went to the rice seller. The police man said that the men bought two bags of rice for N180,000.
“The officer said one of the men claimed that they had a church event and needed to buy rice. The man claimed he was the father of the boy.
“He asked the boy to wait at the rice shop, while he went home to get the money, he left with the two bags of rice in company of the other man,” he explained.
Ogbonna said the officer explained that when the man did not come back with the money, the rice seller asked the boy the “whereabout of his father who brought him there.”
“My boy told the rice seller that he didn’t know the man nor where he lived, they started beating him , calling him thief, while he was being beaten a man came up to his rescue.
“They told him all that happened. They went to police station with my boy to report the case, that was when they called me. The Police said there is a CCTV Camera that captured them when they were coming to carry the rice.
“They didn’t show me where they were carrying the rice. The rice sellers insisted that I must pay for the rice, I told them, I can’t pay for two bags, I will pay for one bag for my son to be released to me.
“I paid N90,000 for one bag of rice. After that Police said I must bail my child, I told them how can I bail a child. They insisted, then I told them, I will leave my child with them if they refuse to release him to me.
“I later paid N5,000 to bail my son,” he said.
Ogbonna said he left the Red House Police Station for Oko-Oba Police Division to close the case of missing child with N10,000 payment.
He said his son later told him how he met the man on his way to buy the moi-moi.
According to his son, while going to buy the moi-moi, a man stopped him, and requested him to hold his phone for him that he wanted to use water to wash his legs.
He said his son explained that after the man washed his legs, he collected the phone from him, hit his head, made some incantations, he said that was the last thing he remembered.
“My son said the only thing he could remember was that he was on top of a motorcycle to a place with the man, where they took a tricycle (Keke Maruwa) to another place, from there, they took another motorcycle to Opawale, where the man abandoned him.
“The trauma was hell for my son. He has not recovered up till now. It was God, who saved his life,” Ogbonna said
The Lagos Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident, stressing that the police was investigating the case.
Hundeyin advised traders, to beware of fraudsters using innocent children as collateral to obtain goods.
” Insist that they leave with their brother or sister and bring the money before they can take any item,” he counseled.
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.