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Death after rape of teenage Premier Academy student, AI, anti-rape foundation seek justice

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Death after rape of teenage Premier Academy student, AI, anti-rape foundation seek justice

 

Amnesty International Nigeria and Men Against Rape Foundation are seeking for justice for14-year Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akphagher a student of Premier Academy, Abuja, who died from sepsis after one year.

In a joint statement by Amnesty International Nigeria, Men Against Rape Foundation, and the Akphagher family issued in Abuja on Monday many questions were raised as to why the perpetrator and all those suspected of complicity in the cover-up of the heinous crime remain neither prosecuted nor punished.

“A year on, so many questions are left unanswered: Why has Premiere Academy failed to provide the CCTV footage of 15 and 16 June 2021, which could aid in unraveling the reason why Keren could not walk to class on 16 June 2021?

Death after rape of teenage Premier Academy student, AI, anti-rape foundation seek justice “How come Premiere Academy retrieved and exhibited the CCTV footage of 19 June 2021 but claimed that the footage of 15 and 16 June 2021 have been deleted by the default setting of their system, despite the allegation of rape having been raised with the school on the 22 June 2021?

“Why has the Nigeria police refused to give official copies of the medical and autopsy reports to the family of Keren?”

According to the Statement, Despite Premier Academy’s claim that they will cooperate with all institutions of government to investigate Keren’s death, they also asked to know why the school refused to cooperate with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) which is investigating the school over alleged failure of service delivery to Keren.

“Why did Premiere Academy file an application at the Federal High Court Abuja, seeking to stop the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) from investigating the circumstances, which led to the death of Keren?

“Why have the Ministries of Women Affairs and Education not lived up to their responsibilities by intervening in the case to ensure that justice is served? What is the life of a Nigerian girl worth?”

The statement also recalled that on 7 December 2021, the House of Representatives passed a resolution urging the Nigeria Police to thoroughly investigate Keren’s death and the allegations of harassment and threat to life of Keren’s family and Lemmy Ughegbe, the human rights defender seeking justice for Keren.

“Over 6 months since these resolutions were passed, there has been no compliance.

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“As a state party to several regional and international human rights treaties, Nigeria has an obligation to ensure that women and girls can live free from violence.

“Having ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Nigeria is obliged to act with due diligence to prevent, investigate, punish and provide remedies for acts of violence against women and girls regardless of whether these acts are committed by private or state actors.

“As a state party to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, Nigeria undertakes to adopt and implement appropriate measures to ensure that women and girls are protected from all forms of violence, including sexual violence.

“Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees that “no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment.”

The family of Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akphagher, Men Against Rape Foundation, and Amnesty International in the statement called on the Nigerian authorities to ensure that: An immediate, impartial, effective and independent investigation is initiated on the circumstances leading to Keren’s death and that all those found culpable are prosecuted in a fair trial and punished with no recourse to the death penalty.

The statement also sought Adequate protection for Keren’s mother, Vivien Akpagher, her family and Lemmy Ughegbe and all other human rights defenders involved in this case.

“Effective remedies including reparations and guarantees of non-repetition are provided to all affected persons.”

NEWS

N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden

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Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.

In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.

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He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.

“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.

He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.

“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.

Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.

“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said

He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.

“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”

Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.

He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.

“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.

“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.

He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.

 

 

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ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.

In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”

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The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.

Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.

The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.

With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.

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Edo State Governor Sets Up Committee To Recover Missing Gov’t Vehicles

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Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.

The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.

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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.

He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.

In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.

“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.

“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”

The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.

“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”

He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.

“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.

The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.

 

 

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