www.nationalmirroronline.net

Vol. 2 No. 32 Sunday, July 22, 2012 N150

P. 8

News NewsP. 11 P. 7P. 3

Violence, poor logistics mar Ogun Council poll

More troubles for Oteh, Osibodu

Senate committee chair Uzodinma in certifi cate forgery, debt scandal

Oteh Osibodu

SSouth opposition plots against PDP ahead 2015 elections

Gunmen storm Kogi community, attack bank, police station

Cop shot dead

EFCC to probe SEC DG, Union Bank MD over alleged fraudulent diversionAMCON, NDIC Managing Directors, CBN Governor for probe too

Big ReadTHE

Makoko eviction turns tragic as police corporal kills Chief P. 12News

P. 7

Nigerians, most sexually satisfi ed in the world Report

Child prostitution: A growing monster

Ex-president Obasanjos name missing from voters registerRemo monarch disenfranchised P. 12

P. 52

P. 9

Stock market probe

MON

My Mondays are usually busy. I do have meetings with my team of girls and models whom I work with to know how to go about the week. We make necessary plans/arrange-ments so that we wont be taken unawares by our clients about anything that might crop up within the week. My Monday meetings with my staff are not hurriedly done. We must iron out things and touch every area of our work in order to deliver immediately we are called upon.

TUE Tuesdays are set aside for clients that bring jobs. I inter-

act with them to know what they are expecting from us.

WED

Wednesdays are tight. This is normally the day for re-hearsals. The models practise their catwalks. I was the former Miss Mali although I hail from Delta State, Nige-ria. But I was able to win the crown because, apart from being beautiful, I performed well. I did my catwalks with shoulders high. So, I teach my models, guys inclusive how to do catwalks. Apart from catwalks, we sit down together to share ideas on this third day of the week.

THU Thursdays are my visiting days. My team of staff and I try

to visit places. Such places are not limited to Lagos alone.

FRI This is another day of rehearsals but it is a day mainly

for my dancers who compulsory have to rehearse with their costumes.

SAT This is the day of the week that I attend ceremonies with

my workers - weddings, award giving events, just name it.

SUN I go to church. I also attend events if there is the need to

do so.

*Compiled by Adaeze Amos (0802 301 2293)

Mercy OsuyaCEO, RHANAMERZY NIGERIA LIMITED

Air passengers will have to pay more owing to the ground-ing of some key airlines, result-ing in a 40 per cent hike in air fares on major domestic routes.

Airline passengers, who are even prepared to pay the exor-bitant fares, are also having a hard time booking flights, es-pecially on Lagos-Abuja; Lagos-Port Harcourt and Lagos-Kadu-na routes.

Air Nigeria had suspended

operations owing to industrial action by workers; First Nation suspended flight operations for maintenance checks on its three Airbus 320-200 aircraft; Chanchangi Airline stopped operations because of inad-equate aircraft while Dana Air remains grounded after its MD 83 aircraft crashed on June 3.

Governor Adams Oshiom-hole of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, recorded a resounding victory over his op-ponents in Saturdays governor-ship election in Edo State, as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared him winner of the poll.

He described his victory as a blow to election riggers. We must make a statement that election riggers are out of busi-ness, Oshiomhole said.

According to the result an-nounced by the Returning Of-ficer, Prof. Osayuki Oshodi, at the INEC headquarters in Be-nin, Oshiomhole scored 477,478 votes to defeat five other candi-dates in the election, to clinch his second term in office.

The incumbent governor won in all the 18 local govern-ment areas of the state and sat-isfied the requirements of the law to be declared winner of the contest.

Staff of the Securities and Exchange Commis-sion, SEC, in Abuja protest-ed against the recall of em-battled Director General, Ms Arunma Oteh, who was sent on compulsory leave by SEC board on June 11 to allow for an independent audit of financial dealings under her watch.

Oteh was placed under investigation following a

report of the commissions Audit Committee that al-leged financial wrongdo-ings in the execution of the Project 50 programme last year that was organised to mark 50 years of capital market regulatory activi-ties in Nigeria.

According to a circular issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, with reference number SGF.2/S.9/C.13/454 dated 17/ July, 2012, Oteh was absolved of any wrong-doing in the management of the project.

The relative peace in Jos, the Plateau State capi-tal, was again shattered on Tuesday when gun-men fired rocket-propelled grenade at Nura Islamic Private School in Bukuru area, killing a seven-year old boy.

The school owned by Jos Muslim community, nar-rowly escaped the rocket, which hit a nearby build-ing. Two other persons also

died in the attack which led to reprisals. Some pupils also sustained injuries in the stampede that followed. Eyewitnesses said gunmen arrived at the school in a car and fired several shots into the compound which resulted in the death of the victim. It was learnt that the Muslim community too reacted with random gun-shots, turning the area into a temporary war zone.

President Goodluck Jon-athan on Monday urged the new Chief Justice of Nige-ria, CJN, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, to create special courts for terrorism and corruption-related cases.

Jonathan made the call after swearing in Justice Mukhtar as the first female and 13th indigenous CJN. He said the security chal-lenges in some parts of the country called for con-

certed actions by the three arms of government.

The President also ad-vised the new CJN to des-ignate judicial officers with wealth of experience in criminal jurisprudence and terrorism to man the special courts for outstand-ing results.

Airlines hike fares as fl ight shortage takes toll

SEC staff protest as FG recalls Oteh

Jos boils again ...7-yr-old, others killed as gunmen attack primary school

Terrorism: Jonathan directs CJN to create special court

FG approves $1.48bn for Lagos-Ibadan railway

The Federal Execu-tive Council, FEC, has ap-proved various contracts totalling N371 billion in the transport and power sectors as well as the Fed-eral Capital Territory, FCT. One of the major contracts awarded is the construc-tion of the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail Dou-ble Track with Double For-mation under Addendum No. 2 (2nd segment) of the modernisation Lagos-Kano railway project.

Announcing the deci-sion after FEC meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, the

Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, said the contract was award-ed in favour of Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) Nig Ltd, in the sum of US$1,487,782,196.00 inclusive of all taxes with a completion period of 36 months.

Maku said the project would now be executed in six phases, and would cov-er 2,733 kilometres. CCECC (Nig) Ltd commenced work on the project when it was awarded in 2006 but could not complete it owing to funds constraints.

Oshiomhole: Victory, blow to riggers

Seven DaysJULY 22, 2012

TALKING POINT OF THE PAST WEEK

Seven DaysWhats new

In our days at National Assembly, Mark could not have emerged Senate President

Since the confi rmation of Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtars appointment as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) by the Senate on Wednesday July 11, 2012, the consensus of opinion has been that a new dawn of judicial activism has been ushered in.

Unwanted pregnancy is the bane for any woman who has reached the puberty age and can engage in sexual intercourse. Most women who are single do not want to have a baby yet unless in the sanctity of their matrimonial home.

Mukhtar: An activist on the Bench?

My style is glamorous

Alhaji Lamidi Onaolapo Adesina was a former governor of OyoState. He is the leader of the ACN in the state. In this interviewwith Ayo Esan, he speaks on sundry issues of national interest.

Abortion: Cause of most maternal deaths in Nigeria Expert

Interview

Politics

Fashionistas World

Wellness

38

15

13

Hajia Islamiyat Animashaun is a seasoned beautician and a fashionista. She has been in the beauty business for about three decades, yet she is passionate about making other women beautiful.

42

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net2

is not, however, enough to deter her. Na Moni make I come hustle for here, Omonigho explains in Pidgin English. I no get choice my brother; de money way I de make, I go take am open shop soon where I go de sell rice, palm oil and tin tomatoes. Men like us we small. Dem de call us smalli and we de surprise dem well well, she added.

AY bar usually bustles with such kind of girls at night. And then, tired of waiting without landing a big fish, the girls would drift with the night to other parts of the city where they hoped their chances would be better. Omonig-ho has a boyfriend, a regular client with whom she has a slightly more intimate relationship. He works in one of the new generation banks in Ogba but regularly picks her up from her station because he is unhappy at home. The young woman, however, is hardly in love with anyone. She sleeps with men for money. Him wife no de givam rest of mind for house. So, he de come cool off here. I like moni; I no love any person, she claims, though, admitting she some-times derives fulfillment from her banker friend.

However, commercial sexual exploitation of children occurs in many cities in Nigeria. They are virtually ev-erywhere: at street corners, behind residential homes, inside school hostels, in front of highbrow hotels, bars, shops, restaurants and other public places. They are the

Major cities in Nigeria are offering havens for child prostitution. It has become a dangerous trend that fl ourishes. It enjoys a unique explosion with new styles being constantly introduced to remould the old trade, writes Head, Special Investigations, Isioma Madike

A quick glance could not reveal that Ijeoma had packed such a considerable but dreaded experi-ence into her life. She had gone through all the evils associated with prostitution. She is, certainly, a pretty girl at 16; light-complexioned with radiant skin and the right figure. The smile on her face runs con-trary to the life she had led. Yet, the glow on her rosy cheeks confirmed the fact that she was very young.

Ijeoma, from Anambra State, is supposed to be under the protective shield of a caring parent. She cut an inno-cent look but pitiable sight as she sat dejected in front of a dingy room that has been her abode since she was forced to follow a woman she knew only as Auntie to Lagos. She was in search of the proverbial good life. It was a misad-venture that has permanently altered the poor girls per-ception of the world. That was about a year ago.

The Auntie, who had convinced her mother to allow Ijeoma come with her to Lagos with a promise that within a few weeks, she would be sending money home, ended up introducing her to prostitution in a most cruel way. Four days after arriving Lagos, Ijeoma was told it was

time she started earning her pay. The poor little girl, who was barely 15 years old when she left home, was taken to a decrepit hotel in the backwoods of Ifako in Agege, where Auntie instructed that she must open her legs to men for a fee. It was a terrible experience for me, she said, adding, the first man, who came to me was hurtful and didnt give me anything even after he forced his way. Left with no choice, I had to cope with the job because I had to sur-vive. I couldnt even find my way back home, should I get anybody to lend me the transport fare, Ijeoma narrated her rather sad story in tears.

Incidentally, Ijeoma situation is not an isolated case. Omonigho, 17, is slim and fair-complexioned. She began prostitution when she was 14. She left Iruekpen, Ekpoma, her village when her parents could no longer afford to send her to school. Omonigho, whose base is AY open bar, behind Excellence Hotel, Ogba says, she could make N7, 000 once she chin gum well on a good day and as little as N2, 500 on a bad day. She spends N1, 000 of this earnings on rent she shares with two of her friends. The fear of the dreaded Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

CHILD PROSTITUTION EQUALS MODERN DAY SLAVERY 5 CHILD PROSTITUTION HAS BECOME A WAY OF LIFE IN NIGERIA 6

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Child prostitution:A growing monster

JULY 22, 2012

Big ReadSUNDAY SPECIAL INVESTIGATION

THE

Kid prostitutes arrested and deported from Italy.

Sunday Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 3

would snap at the man if he asks what charges were; this, notwithstanding, she will not collect chicken feed like a secondary school girl. They prefer the hasty and brief visit to a suya spot by Mariere Hall in which case the man parts with between N1, 000 and N1, 500 after a steamy ses-sion on the back seat of his car. The deal could also be con-summated in any of the secluded areas of the campus or the Lagoon front. Child sex business also enjoys a boom in the other campuses across the country. It also wears a veil like in the University of Lagos.

A night crawler of note, who goes by name Chubi to avoid being recognised, had met a young girl of about 14 on the popular Allen Avenue, Ikeja and felt he could have a quickie with her on the roadside. He could not con-template taking her home to avoid trouble because of his wife. Chubi haggled with the little girl, who simply called herself Jane before a compromise was reached. N1, 000 was agreed but Chubi insisted on doing it in his car, a de-cision Jane did not accede to. We can do it in a very com-fortable place without much stress, she assured Chubi. Where are we going to do it? Chubi enquired, suspect-ing it could be foul play to rob him off his money. Dont worry, are you scared? Jane assured him once more. They matched down, heading towards a popular hospital on the same Allen Avenue before the little girl motioned on him to divert into another one storey building, stand-ing adjacent to the hospital.

As they approached the gate, the security man, who seem to be in the know of the transaction opened the gate

new female hustlers, who debase womanhood without any qualms. Conventional prostitutes restricted them-selves to brothels or isolated public places in the past. But today, the younger prostitutes within the age bracket of between 14 and 18 are swarming the streets like bees, os-tensibly trying to bite their victims where it hurts. Some of them are from relatively comfortable homes and do not hustle out of need. They do this, sometimes, out of greed or just for the fun of it.

Every evening, especially on weekends, young girls, shamelessly parade the major streets of Abuja, Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Enugu, Ibadan and other cities hawking their bodies to any willing buyer. On Victoria Island streets like Adeola Hopewell, Akin Adesola and Ozumba Mbadiwe boast of a huge population of child whores engrossed in theatrical advertisement of their flesh. Clad in hot pants and brief tops that leave little for imagination, they bom-bard the eardrums with pleasing mantra of I have all the styles and Im small but mighty in bed. Going by the way the scarlet girls chant the refrain like bats of the night, one would think there is a huge honey depot in the area. They fall over one another to secure patronage. They plant their bags in the passengers seats, shouting, na me first come the same way groundnut hawkers do in a traffic jams.

Sex has also become the fad among many students of higher institutions. The jambites, diploma and remedial students in higher institutions of learning are not left out. Many of them converge at nightfall at Akoka, a suburb of Lagos, where the University of Lagos (UNILAG) splen-didly sprawls in its aquamarine ambiance. At such times when the skyline is black as the ace of spades, the atmo-sphere at the parking lot in front of Moremi Hall is always frenzied. State-of-the-art cars, some chauffeur-driven, oth-ers driven by cigar-smoking, cell-phone-clutching men, jostle for space. Of course, there are run-off-the mill cars too. But, the kindred spirits of lust unites everyone. They are united in their mission to hunt for willing baby part-ners to satisfy their urge. And being an academic commu-nity, the hunting is done with scholastic elegance.

Unlike the conventional street whore, the girls prefer not to slap price tags on their services. What do you mean by how much? Do I look like a prostitute? She

to allow them access. To Chubis surprise, the building had transformed into a brothel, where one can have quick sex for as low as N500. Confirming Janes assurance, the place was littered with mattresses of different sizes and durability, which made business of the day comfortable, after which he paid her the negotiated fees. According to Chubi, whenever he is in need of quick action, he does not need to go pricing those standing, he goes straight to the unofficial brothel, where little girls of different shades, shapes and colour ply their illicit trade. The building serves a dual purpose of an office during official hours and as a brothel at night, anchored by moneymaking se-curity guards. A further investigation showed that most of the corporate offices on Allen Avenue and Opebi are used in the same manner, serving as brothels at night, where child prostitutes hang out.

But, this happening is not restricted to Allen and Opebi as painstaking investigation uncovered another spot at Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island. The abandoned li-aison offices of the various state governments now serve as a make-shift for individuals hob-knobbing and need-ing quickies at the Bar Beach at weekends. The security guards, who complained of not being paid regularly sell beer and pepper soup to, according to them, complement the activities going on there and augment their takings. Only a few people living in the area could claim ignorance of what is happening in the environment. The girls, most of who are in junior secondary schools sneak in with

I had to cope with the job to survive

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Some prostitutes in a club in Lagos.

Mrs Titi Atiku Abubakar, founder, WOTCLEF The late Mrs Stella Obasanjo, founder, Child Care Trust.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netSunday, July 22, 20124 The Big Read

older men to have a quick and casual sex. The men always had one thing on their minds: the conquest of their innocent female preys, while the girls think of nothing else besides the opportunity to squeeze easy money from their male part-ners. Money and sex are two things that keep the places alive these days unlike before when chief executives of state held sway at the time the liaison offices served as executive guest houses.

A severely depressed part of Oyingbo in Lagos is also a thriving sex market, where child prostitutes are the wares. Men hardly patronise brothels again as they prefer girls who hang around these offices. Security Agents do not raid this category of girls because of the unsuspecting chan-nels they perform their act, said one of the girls, who identified herself simply as Ekaette, from Akwa Ibom State.

The game takes a different shade in Abuja. There, many of the little angels of the night ply their trade in the various restaurants and nightclubs dotting the federal capital. Some of them even hide under the dearth of accommodation in the city to share their bodies with who-

ever can feed and give them shelter. Wuse zone 4 district is well known for this. Even first-timers in the city know the spot. This has made commercial sexual exploitation a problem of special concern to many Nigerians. Studies of sexual abuse are scarce, owing to the clandestine nature of the phenomenon and the traditional inhi-bitions on discussion of sexual behavior. But, investigations have shown that child prostitution is now common in other towns such as Owerri, Calabar and Edo in the South-east and South-south geo-po-litical zones; Markurdi and Ilorin in the North central zone, and Maiduguri in the North-east and Ibadan in the South-west.

The National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) officials recently raided a Lagos hotel located in the midst of resi-dential houses and rescued six girls within its walls. Items like clothes, photographs and used and unused condoms were found in most of the rooms. Reports quoting for-mer head of the Lagos Zone of NAPTIP, Godwin Morka, said that six out of 12 girls

that were rescued from the hotel in Janu-ary this year turned out to be HIV positive. Most of the girls we rescued are between 11 and 16 years old. Two girls aged 12 and 14 were pregnant. They didnt even know who the fathers of their unborn babies are. Its really saddening, he said.

A 25-five-year-old lady, McKnight Love-lyn, was also arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court for allegedly engag-ing one Joy Raymond Akpan, a 15-year-old girl for the purpose of using her for prostitution on September 7, 2009. Police Prosecutor, Albert Ebota, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), told the court that the accused person at about 2100 hours, at Sir Timber Hotel, Jakan-de, Lagos State in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawful and indecent deals with Joy Raymond Akpan. About the same time, another Lagos socialite, Toyin Akinmola was sent to Kirikiri prison over child prostitution. The 30-year-old wom-an, was sentenced after she was accused of forcing a 13-year-old girl into prostitu-tion. The girl, whose identity was con-

cealed, confessed that she was brought from Ondo State to Lagos by Toyin and forced into prostitution. This seemed to confirm a research that was carried out by Sympathy Worldwide Foundation, a non-governmental organisation fighting sex slavery and child trafficking. The re-port had stated that most of these young girls were trafficked to Lagos with some big promises of greener pasture, but as the promises become unfulfilled, the girls take to the streets to use the same means to help themselves.

Outside Nigeria, it is even more lam-entable. Reports indicate that the largest group of prostitutes from Sub-Saharan Africa is from Nigeria. According to a recent United States Department of State report, out of the 2,500 minors engaged in full-time prostitution in the streets of Italy, 2,300 are minors from Albanian and Nigeria. Italy has become the prostitu-tion capital of Nigerian prostitutes. It is said that four out of every prostitute seen in any Italian street is a Nigerian. This

Liaison offi ces now hot spots

Commercial sexual exploitation has become a problem of special concern in Nigeria, both because of its scale and role in the development of the Human Immuno Virus and Acquired Immune Defi ciency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) epidemic now sweeping the country. What could be responsible for the surge?

Tragically, statistics has shown that the HIV/Aids pandemic has ravaged whole swaths of communities in Benue, Delta, Edo and Cross River States almost unim-peded. Half-hearted and often much belated measures have proven rather cosmetic and barely scratched the surface of the problem. Our cities have come under siege with scantily clad young girls plying their illicit trade in broad daylight. Poverty, ignorance, peer pres-sure, unemployment, illiteracy and hard drugs use have been fingered as the immediate and remote causes of this shameful trade.

Often times, adult women are allegedly involved in re-cruiting the girls for sex trade. How can this be stopped?

Girls as young as 10 have been tricked into the sex trade with promises of lucrative jobs abroad by traf-fickers, aunts, uncles and other close relatives. In Benin City, for instance, a woman was reported to have sold a large family land in order to raise funds to send her two daughters to Italy in search of the Golden Fleece in 2001. Mrs Titi Atiku Abubakar, wife of former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, through her Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation (WOTCLEF) res-cued hundreds of teenage girls, who had fallen victim to this menace. The episode was captured vividly in the Nollywood movie Italian connection.

Is there any law against child prostitution? If yes how effective is it in Nigeria?

Prior to the coming into effect of the Child Rights Act, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) like WOT-CLEF and Child Care Trust of late Mrs Stella Obasanjo blazed the trail in tackling this monster albeit with little success. Offences such as indecent assault, defilement, procurement of a minor contained in the penal statutes proved grossly inadequate. The Child Rights Act has been a breadth of fresh air but it has been criticised as

being too shallow. Be that as it may, the stringent calls from across a broad spectrum of stakeholders and gen-der rights activists are unanimously in agreement that stiffer penalties ought to be put in place for offences bor-dering on child prostitution.

Some have blamed pornography for aggravating child prostitution. Do you agree with this line of thought?

Not just the availability of pornography all over the place. On the internet, on TV, fashion trends like reveal-ing dress that exposes the cleavages and explicit lyrics of the music the kids listen to on a daily basis, all tend to promote sexual immorality. Not just the diminish-ing morals as well as lack of parental guidance are also responsible for these. Parents must watch out for early signs of deviant behavioural patterns, weir hairstyles, dress codes, late nights, drinking and drugs are warn-ing signals.

How do you think Child prostitution could be tackled in Nigeria?

Sex trade deals with a commodity -the girls. So, firstly we must target the buyers of this commodity. The prosti-tuted child does not enter into the relationship by choice; she is lured and or forced into the trade. At that point it is a contractual arrangement in which the child is simply the commodity available for sale or hire, depending on the demand. After the price is fixed and paid, the child is used by the buyer to meet his own needs and then re-ferred to the owner of the child. The child is probably given no more respect than a rental car or worse.

So, how would you describe the trade that does not have the consent of the child involved?

Sex without the consent by one of the partners is a modern day slavery, which takes away all dignity. It turns a woman into an object and is a denial of that girls humanity. All hands must be on deck. The media has a pivotal role to play in changing male attitude towards demanding for young girls as escorts, sex partners and so on. In this country, girls are arranged and delivered at hotel rooms and events to participants as conference materials. University girls organise their mates to go on

weekends and attend government house parties where these girls are literally sold for a fee. In Thailand and other Far East nations, their laws are tough on tourist who takes delight in sex tourism. These simply stifle the demand and the sex trade dies a natural death.

What exactly should the government do to curb this menace?

Moral education in schools must be re-emphasised. Randy lecturers and bosses in government ministries and parastatals must be severely dealt with. Social re-sponsibility of government in the area of job creation, free and compulsory education for the girl child must be adhered to. Finally, the family must reappraise the needs of the girl child and make adequate provisions over and above the current situation where male child preferences severely injure the interests of the girl child, who are reduced to second class kids.

Nkereuwem Udofi a Akpan is a constitutional lawyer and an Abuja-based human/gender rights activist. He blames the upsurge in child prostitution in Nigeria on what he calls diminishing morals as well as lack of parental guidance, in this interview with Isioma Madike.

Child prostitution equals modern day slavery

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

Akpan

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Sunday Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Sunday, July 22, 2012 5The Big Read

unsavoury situation destroys not only Ni-gerias image as a nation but the future of those involved. Apart from Italy, Nigerian kid prostitutes have successfully invaded Spain, Germany, Belgium, Austria, United Kingdom and other countries. They also constitute, according to reports, the larg-est group of prostitutes in Norway. The same report put the population of under-aged Nigerian prostitutes in the Nether-lands to over 400. Majority of these pros-titutes are recruited through the human trafficking industry under the guise of being offered a juicy employment abroad and forced into child prostitution by syn-dicates and paid agents. Such kids forced into such unspeakable lifestyle are threat-ened not to tell truth to their parents or may feel too ashamed to speak up in front of their parents.

However, the child prostitutes are given economic hardship as the reason for doing what they do. There are others who cite grinding poverty for the reason for the il-licit trade. There is also the case of child labour, which typically exposes children to prostitution. The hired female children are sent out to hawk food items on the streets, motor parks, and mechanic garag-es thereby exposing them to rapes as well as sexual harassments.

Mrs. Atinuke Balogun, a trained nurse, who lives at Agbado Crossing, also be-lieves that some girls take to prostitution due to sheer destitution. She said that some street children resort to prostitution because they see it as their only means of survival. There was a reported experience of a mother of 14-year-old girl, who lured her daughter into this ignominious trade. The woman said about her daughter, she was beautiful and that men would like her very much. Besides, she would earn a lot of money. In the evenings, the woman takes her daughter to a motel where they make contacts. The mother stays nearby to receive the payments. Each night, this girl has sex with three or four men.

Unemployment of either the parents or the child results in unreliable source of income thereby forcing children into pros-titution as an alternative means of income to support the family. Ironically, the Inter-national Labour Organisation (ILO) ob-serves that a childs ability to earn money is limited. It is estimated that the money

earned by the child only contributes to approximately 10 percent of the familys overall income and, therefore, has mini-mal effect on the familys monetary gain. Due to high degree of unemployment, the brothels also employ some female chil-dren who serve in their drinking spots to promote their business.

That is not all. Pimps or brothel own-ers deceive some parents by paying them money and assuring to enlist their chil-dren in their domestic services, which later turns to be prostitution. These broth-el owners who are termed the girls own-ers take control of the childs activities. Moreover, these owners do everything pos-sible to retain these girls who earn money for them to maintain their lavish lifestyle. Apart from the pimps, other intermediar-ies, who benefit from child prostitution, do anything possible to see the act con-tinued. Most females are also led into this act of prostitution by their masters. Some of them could be anaesthetized by their masters in order to have fun with them and when eventually the woman of the house gets to know about the act she will be thrown outside to continue the act with other men including the master. As well, children of broken homes sleep wherever they see space to do so in the day, and go to the disco and nightclubs in the night.

Investigations have shown that ill treat-ment of children at home might make them to take to the street in order to find solace. The end result may be the hawking of their body to support themselves. Por-nography also puts viewers at increased risk for developing sexually deviant ten-dencies. It has been discovered that de-viant sexual acts results when a viewer tries to act out the pornography-based fan-tasies. Add to that were instances where some of the girls were raped in their own homes, an act that changed their outlook in life, which eventually give vent to pros-titution. Experts believe that there are two other closely related causes of prostitu-tion; glamour associated with it and insa-tiable sexual urges in some females.

Furthermore, illicit love affairs in the presence of children may subject them to early prostitution. Some parents per-form extra marital affairs in the presence of their wards. This exposes the children to early sex life. The premature death of one or both of the parents has also been

discovered as one of the causes of child prostitution. Because of the chasm cre-ated by such loss, a teenage girl may be fraught with the onerous task of catering for herself and other family members. More importantly, no one may exist to give stern guideline on her. For instance, the reported case of one Owerri girl, who re-turned from Kumasi Ghana, and claimed that her father died when she was eight years, illustrates this. She claimed that the demise of her father left her with the responsibility of catering for her younger siblings and her mother, who hails from Kumasi, Ghana. These challenges make her to dabble into prostitution.

But, high patronage of child prostitutes by wealthy men has been discovered as a factor that has contributed and sustained child prostitution. Some teenage girls find it difficult to resist the temptation of pros-titution because of huge sum of money they receive from these patrons.

Felix Azubuike, a pastor in The Re-deemed Christian Church of God, ACME parish agrees with the notion that the current upsurge of child prostitution in Nigeria could partly be attributed to the moribund economy, which he said crashed peoples standard of living, making ma-jority to live below the poverty line. He equally blames the countrys value sys-tem, which, according to him, has been relegated to the background. It is be-coming increasing difficult for people to make ends meet. Again, parents no longer have time to teach their children morals that will benefit them in the future. Quite frankly, we are reaping what we sowed,

he said. He, nonetheless, appealed to gov-ernment to rededicate itself to causes and programmes that could make Nigerians live like human beings.

As a counselor, psychologist and a mother, Celine Njoku, assistant secretary general of the Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON), reckons that the pervading scourge of child prostitution in the country has, to a great extent, been indirectly encouraged by the failure of the home front and the larger society to make young girls aware of some basic sexuality education. Yet, a medical doc-tor, who spoke on condition of anonym-ity, expressed fear that many of the girl harlots may be living with HIV/AIDS without knowing it. The fast growing open spots may be turning into a thing of sorrow for some families as lifestyles of these little girls are endangered and even life-threatening diseases like Sexu-ally Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are also competing as it constantly threatens the patrons, the doctor remarked.

Though, the Nigerian government has over time come up with a variety of initia-tives to combat the surging problem of child trafficking, the law enforcement officials needed legal framework for rescuing victims, and for investigating, arresting, and pros-ecuting traffickers. Some call it the oldest profession on earth. Others consider it the scourge of womanhood. But, evidence avail-able indicates that child prostitution is fast becoming a way of life for many. Not even the dreaded HIV/AIDS has forced a reduction in the number of young girls to take this old va-cation as their means of livelihood.

Child prostitution has become a way of life in Nigeria

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

Mrs Jeddy-Agba, NAPTIP boss Mrs Eki Egbinedion, founder, Idia Renaissance.

Nigerian prostitute arrested by Spanish police. PHOTOS: INTERNETJennifer, 18.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netSunday, July 22, 2012 6 TheThe Big Read

7NewsSunday July 22, 2012Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Trouble is not yet over for the embattled Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh, who has just been reinstated to office. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commis-

sion (EFCC) is set to probe into the report indicting her.

The House of Repre-sentatives ad hoc commit-tee, which investigated the lapses in the stock market, indicted Oteh in its report submitted last week and ad-

opted 29 recommendations, including the one calling for her sack.

Although, she was re-called from suspension by the Federal Government on Wednesday after being cleared of fraud or criminal

breach of any form by ex-ternal auditors Price Wa-ter Cooper Limited (PWC) - which audited SECs con-troversial Project 50, the EFCC said it had concluded arrangements to probe the report of the House.

Stock market probe: Fresh trouble for Oteh, Osibodu

Dr.Joe Okei-Odumakin, President, Campaign for Democracy (CD), Mr.Femi Falana (SAN), human rights activist and Mr.Ibrahim Lamorde, EFCC Chairman, during an inter-face between EFCC and the Civil society at the weekend.

Senator Uzodinma in certifi cate forgery, debt scandalThe Chairman of the Sen-ate Committee on Avia-tion, Senator Hope Uzodin-ma, has been accused of lying about his Degree in Arts/Criminology from Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States, according to a news portal, Pointblanknews.com findings.

The Senator had, in an interview with a national newspaper (Not Sunday Mirror), and on his Face-book page and other docu-ments, indicated that he obtained a Degree in Arts/Criminology from the Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.

However, Point-blanknews.coms investi-gations at the Washing-ton University, St. Louis, Missouri, showed that the Senator representing Orlu Senatorial District never obtained a degree from the University.

Sorry, we dont have such name in our database; you

can please call or reach out to the Registrars office, a lady who refused to be named in the Office of Alumni Affairs of the School, had told the news portal.

A check at the Registrars office where data of all stu-dents including those that have graduated are kept did not find the name Hope Uzodinma, or any similar name.

Please, we dont have such name in our record. But you can also check at the National Clearing House, an official who sim-ply gave his name as Kelvin at the Registrars office of the Washington University, told Pointblanknews.com.

The News organisation-also checked through offi-cial records at the National Clearing House and was told the name, Hope Uzodin-ma, does not exist in any of its database.

We cannot get any re-cord with such name, I am sorry, Kerry Anderson

of the National Clearing House, allegedly told Point-blanknews.com.

It was gathered that Pointblanknews.com inves-tigation came about as a result of the alarm raised by a group, Save Imo, that Uzodinma did not have the two degree certificates from a Nigerian University and another from oversea as he had claimed.

The news service re-ported that a statement en-dorsed by the coordinator of the group, Nze Ebubeagu Ekenulo, said findings by the organization revealed that the lawmakers claims were unfounded.

Both universities have confirmed that the senator never attended their institu-tions, hence obtained no de-grees from them, Ekenulo maintained.

The group promised to make public the result of another investigation car-ried out at a secondary school in Imo State and a re-

port from Government Col-lege, Etche in Rivers State.

It will be recalled that Uzodinma, who heads the Senate Committee on Avia-tion, had in the newspaper in-terview claimed he obtained a degree from Washington University and a Higher Na-tional Diploma from the Fed-eral University of Technol-ogy, Owerri, Imo State.

Senator Uzodinma has been dogged by allegations bordering on fraudulent activities. In 2005, Spring Bank Plc, lodged a com-plaint with the Economic and Financial Crimes Com-mission against the Sena-tor for fraudulent diversion and obtaining money under false pretenses.

After a thorough inves-tigation, the Commission found a prima facie case against him and filed a nine-count charge against him at the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Division in Charge No. ID/82C/2008: F.R.N V. HOPE UZODINMA.

NIGERIA IN BRIEF

Kano state is to ben-efit from a 60-megawatt solar power plant under the Nigeria-Germany Energy Partnership, coordinated by the National Energy Coun-cil, says a presidential aide.

Alhaji Ibrahim Njidda, the Senior Special Assis-tant to President Good-luck Jonathan on Energy Partnerships, disclosed this on Saturday when he paid a courtesy visit to

Gov. Rabiu Kwankwaso in Kano.

Njidda said that the proj-ect was borne out of the desire to tap the abundant solar energy in the north-ern part of the country.

Kano to get solar power plant Dons task African leaders on good governanceThree university lecturers

on Saturday urged African leaders to pay more attention to the welfare of the people.

The dons, who spoke with the News Agency of Nige-ria (NAN) in Lagos, noted

that prompt attention to the citizens welfare was the only panacea to the growing civil unrest on the continent.

Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo, Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, recently

re-named Moshood Abiola University, said that good governance and populist programmes would put an end to wars, environmental degradation and crises on the continent.

EFCC set to probe SEC DG, Union Bank MD over fraudulent diversionAn impeccable source

within the anti-graft agency told Sunday Mirror that, Although the House has not given the report to us, we have been following the mat-ter with keen interest and we are going to probe into the re-port as soon as we receive it.

It is part of our statu-tory responsibilities and were going to carry it out. You will recall that when the issue first broke out we waded into it and that was what led to the arraign-ment of two members of the House of Representatives, Herman Hembe and Ifeanyi Azubuogu, before an Abuja High Court.

The source added that the commission would in-vestigate every aspect of the report including those bor-dering on the nationalisa-tion of three banks and the roles played by the regula-tory agencies.

It is not only Otehs case that were going to look into. Were going to look at every-thing that is in the report including those concerning the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and Nigeria De-posit Insurance Corpora-tion (NDIC).

He added that the com-mission is also going to probe into the missing N8 billion arising from the Union Bank Plc public offer, which the report said was a case of fraudulent diversion having been established.

The ad hoc committee in its report had recommended that the past board and manage-ment of Union Bank Plc, the CEO of the Issuing House/Financial Adviser to the Of-fer, the present members of the Board and Management, including the outgoing Man-aging Director of Union Bank Plc, Mrs. Funke Osibodu, should be investigated by the EFCC with a view to establish-ing and recovering the miss-ing amount.

It added that, the man-agement of AMCON and SEC, including their respec-tive CEOs (Mustafa Chike-

Obi and Ms Arunma Oteh), should be investigated by the EFCC considering their roles in attempting to con-ceal the fraudulent diver-sion and missing fund.

The report further noted that the nationalisation of AfriBank Plc, Bank PHB, Spring Bank, and their sub-sequent change of names to Mainstreet Bank, Keystone Bank, and Enterprise Bank respectively, is a violation of the AMCON Act, NDIC Act and Section 44 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the processes of transfer were fraught with potential forgery, unethical practices, abuse of office, and various unacceptable bad corporate governance precedents. It thereby recommended that a transaction should be re-viewed and investigation be carried out on the individu-als involved by the EFCC and other security agencies.

It will be recalled that while presenting the recom-mendations of the ad hoc committee to the House last week, its chairman, Ibra-him El Sudi-led noted that: I want to correct an impres-sion that has been created in the media that tends to af-fect the image of the House.

The Executive and all Nigerians know that this House inaugurated a com-mittee that led to the sus-pension of the SEC DG and that the report of the panel set up by the Executive has not even been adopted. And now the Federal Govern-ment has recalled the DG.

I want to state categori-cally that Arunma Oteh is not qualified to be the DG of SEC. Sections 3, 35 and 315 of the Investment and Secu-rities Act are clear on this.

As at the time Oteh was appointed as the DG SEC, she was not registered with the SEC as required by the Investments and Securities Act. She didnt have 15 years cognate experience as a cap-ital market operator and so, I want to say here today that Oteh is not qualified to be the DG of SEC.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net8 Sunday July 22, 2012 News

FEMI OYEWESOABEOKUTA

Low turn-out, missing names on the voter reg-ister and pockets of violence characterised the local government election held across all the 20 local governments of Ogun State yesterday.

Also, the poll took a dramatic turn with the name of former President Olusegun Obasanjo miss-ing from the voter register.

At the Ward 11, Unit 15 of the African Church Grammar School, where the former president was supposed to cast his vote, the Presiding Officer, who preferred anonymity, told newsmen that Obasanjos name was not found on the register.

At the second polling Unit 16, within the same venue, the Presiding Of-ficer, Miss Kolawole Oy-etola, confirmed that the former

presidents name was not among those on the voter register at her dis-posal.

Also, the paramount ruler of Remoland, the Akarigbo, Oba Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo, was among the eminent citi-zens of Ogun State who could not vote in yester-days local government election owing to non-availability of voter regis-ters.

The monarch, who ar-rived the Owonifari Ward 2 polling unit for accredi-tation at about 9.35 a.m. in company with his family members, expressed sur-prise and disappointment when electoral officers were not on ground.

When the electoral of-ficers eventually came about 10.45 a.m., they asked the few voters at the cen-tre to register on sheets of paper in order not to be disenfranchised. The vot-ers however, objected and demanded that the officials should produce the real voter register.

The situation which eventually led to confusion, however, saw the electoral officers abandoning the place and fleeing for dear life at 12.35 p.m. following the ensuing commotion. There was neither accredi-tation nor voting at the poll-ing unit.

Also at Simawa High School in Sagamu, the hometown of former Gov-ernor Gbenga Daniel, the Action Congress of Nigeria

(ACN) chairmanship candi-date, Mrs. Funmi Efuwape, was said to have escaped being lynched following a bitter disagreement be-tween some ACN support-ers and some supporters of the opposition parties over alleged irregularities at the polling centre.

Although Efuwape suc-ceeded in casting her vote, she was said to have been spirited out, when the at-mosphere became charged.

A Peoples Party of Ni-geria (PPN) councillorship candidate, Adesina Abio-dun, lamented the non-avail-ability of election materials in some polling units.

But the state Commis-sioner for Local Govern-ment and Chieftaincy Af-fairs, Muyiwa Oladipo, who also voted at the ward, described the election as impressive.

Oladipo, who spoke with reporters, however, declared that the blame for non-availability of election materials in some units should be put at the door-step of Ogun State Indepen-dent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC).

At the time of filing this report, unofficial election results already collated in some centres in the state in-dicated that Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Honourable Suraj Ishola Adekunbi, lost the election in his Ayetoro ward 2 but it was observed that some uniformed men took away the ballot box on his orders.

Also, in Ago Isaga ward 2, Yewa South Local Gov-ernment area, OGSIEC pre-siding officer was caught red-handed with already filled result sheets; while voters who attempted to

resist the security agents from taking away the bal-lot boxes without counting were mercilessly beaten.

Although people turned-out well in most of the polling units monitored by Sunday Mirror within Abeokuta metropolis, par-ticularly in Ikereku, Isale Ake in Abeokuta South Lo-cal Government area, there were complaints of miss-ing names of voters.

In other areas within the metropolis like in Oluwo Polling unit, Oba-femi Owode Local Govern-ment, where the father to the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Dime-ji Bankole, was supposed to exercise his franchise, there were no electoral of-ficers as at 11.35 a.m. till 3. 00 p.m., while the few vot-ers who turned out for the exercise were becoming impatient.

But the state governor, Amosun, yesterday de-scribed the council polls as the first and most cred-ible elections ever con-ducted at the local level since the return of civil rule in 1999.

The governor disclosed this yesterday while fielding questions from newsmen at the African Church Primary School, Ita-Iyalode Ward 11, Unit 12 in Abeokuta North Lo-cal Government, where he had gone to vote.

According to Amosun, This is the very first time we are conducting local government elections in a free and fair atmosphere since 1999. The last exercise under the previous admin-istration was so marred with malpractices and an atmosphere of fear, ter-

ror and intimidation that opposition parties had to boycott the polls. So we are having under the current administration free and fair polls with every party participating.

He said contrary to pre-poll allegations in some quarters, it was our friends from the other side that are alleged to have been involved in some malpractices this morn-ing. Thats the report we have received.

The governor and his wife, Olufunso, had earlier in the day stayed on the queue for accreditation. They returned in the after-noon to cast their votes.

Sneering at the conduct of yesterdays election, the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the polls into the 20 local govern-ments and 236 wards as a deliberate subversion of the rights of the people of the state.

Caretaker Committee Chairman of PDP in the state, Chief Ireti Oniyide, who spoke with newsmen in Abeokuta, said the miss-ing names of voters as well as the sporadic gunshots from the security officers who accompanied the electoral materials were enough evidence that the election was a charade.

Oniyide also explained that the non-availability of Form EC 81 where the elec-tion results were to be en-tered was a clear intention of the ruling ACN through the OGSIEC not to declare the winners at the polling booth but after such results must have been doctored.

Citing situations where OGSIEC officials made

use of exercise books to accredit voters who went to the polling booth with valid voter cards, Oniyide stressed that it was part of the games to rig the council poll through the state elec-toral body.

Number one, names of registered voters that voted during the last governor-ship election have been ex-punged from the register. There are places where they have not produced the voter register; they are us-ing university notebook to record people that came with their voter cards for accreditation.

We made every attempt to correct these irregu-larities because we saw the pattern earlier this week. Members of OGSIEC, the people that we have been talking to there, all sud-denly became incommuni-cado, they were not picking their phones and they were not taking any correspon-dence from us. They have security men at the gates, but we do not have access to them.

However, OGSIEC Com-missioner III, Barrister Mutiu Agboke, explained that the missing names were not the fault of the commission because OG-SIEC was using the regis-ter provided by the INEC in the 2011 general elections.

Agboke noted that the commission had instructed the Presiding Officers to use plain papers to regis-ter people with valid voter cards.

Meanwhile, an official of the Ogun State office of Independent National Elec-toral Commission (INEC) who did not want his name in print told Sunday Mirror that lateness in the collec-tion of the voter register from INEC by OGSIEC was the major factor respon-sible for the missing of names.

The source said the vot-er register was collected by OGSIEC less than 12 hours to the polls while election materials were being dis-tributed out on Friday af-ternoon.

Also, former Governor of the state and a national leader of ACN, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, who came in company with his son, Olumide, a member of the House of Representa-tives, to cast his vote at Ago Iba, within the Abeokuta metropolis, declined com-ments when journalists ap-proached him on his views about the elections.

Ogun council election

Obasanjos name missing from voter registerAkarigbo, others disenfranchised Violence, poor logistics mar poll The Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, has

said that the newly intro-duced Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) was not about price increase, but was based on ``pay as you consume.

Nnaji stated this at the weekend in Jalingo at a one-day community dialogue on the MYTO organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), in collabo-ration with the ministry.

``The era of energy charges based on estima-tion has gone. We should embrace this system which charges individuals based on use.

Represented by the ministrys Director of Re-search and Planning, Alh-aji Ahmed Mohammed, the minister said that energy generation and distribu-tion were capital intensive, hence the need for foreign and local investment in the sector.

Also speaking on the oc-casion, Gov. Danbaba Sun-tai of Taraba, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Garvey Yawe, said the in-troduction of MYTO was timely, adding that the era of estimated consumption was counterproductive.

The News Agency of Ni-geria (NAN) reports that the dialogue was attended by the NOA Director-Gen-eral, Mr Mike Omeri.

Power minister clarifi es new tariff regime

Operators in the finan-cial sector have urged the Federal Government to create an enabling en-vironment to facilitate the utilisation of the pro-posed N200 billion Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) credit facility.

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Malam Sa-nusi Lamido Sanusi, had at the just-concluded African Women Summit in Lagos, said the funds would replace the old agricultural credit guarantee scheme.

The operators told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Satur-day that governments suc-cess in supporting SMEs would fast-track and en-hance sustainable econom-ic growth.

They argued that the ac-tualisation of vision 20:20 20 depended entirely on governments commitment toward domestic creation of wealth and employment opportunities.

Operators seek proper implementation of proposed SME credit facility

Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun,, and wife, Funsho, being accredited yesterday.

Sunday Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 9Sunday July 22, 2012 News

NIGERIA IN BRIEFThe founder of the Al-

Muhabbah Foundation, Alhaja Aisha Mohammed, yesterday said the founda-tion spent N22 million to renovate the Gudu Cemen-tary in the FCT.

Mohammed, who is also wife of the FCT minister, made the disclosure in Abuja at the inauguration of the Gudu Muslim cemetery and earth-breaking ceremony of the Christian cemetery.

She said that the money was provided by donor agencies and the renovation was to beautify and moder-nise the existing Christian and Muslim cemeteries, noting that most cemeteries in the country were in deplor-able conditions.

They have been turned to refuse dumpsites owing to indiscriminate solid waste disposals, encroachment activities of lunatics and

destitute.``Cemeteries must be well

kept, we need to give the dead a good environment as their resting place because one day we will also answer the call of the almighty God, she said.

She noted that the FCT Administration had tried to rehabilitate the cemeteries, adding that there was need to partner with the adminis-tration.

Foundation spends N22m on Gudu cemetery Prices of fruits have risen

in Kaduna State as Muslims observe Ramadan fasting, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

A survey by NAN corre-spondent showed that prices of watermelon, pineapple, pawpaw and orange had risen by about 70 per cent.

A medium-size watermelon now sells for between N550 and N700 as against N200 and N500, while pineapple,

depending on the size, goes for between N200 and N500.

A small bucket of orange goes for between N400 and N450 as against the former price of N250, while a bag of orange now costs N10, 000 as against N5, 500 a month ago.

A medium bunch of banana now sells for N600, compared to the previous price of N400, while a small bunch now costs between N350 and N500 as against N200, previously.

The survey, however, showed that the prices of other perishable foodstuff, including carrot, cabbage and Irish potato had remained stable.

Traders at Station Market and Ibrahim Taiwo Road attributed the increase in the prices of fruits to the high cost of transportation.

One MalamYau Moham-med said the price increase was not deliberate.

Ramadan: Up goes fruit prices in Kaduna

L-R: Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah; Angolan Minister of Transport, Mr. Augusto Tones and Commissioner of Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission, Dr. Elham Ibrahim, at a ministerial conference on aviation safety in Africa, in Abuja on Friday. PHOTO: NAN

AYO ESAN

In order to promote the wel-fare and rights of Nigerian women and children in all aspects of life be it politi-cal, social and economic, the Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Zainab Maina, has ad-vocated for the implementa-tion and review of the Na-tional Gender Policy.

She made the call while paying an advocacy visit to the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefolure and the civil society organisations in Lagos State.

The minister also can-

vassed for effective and ef-ficient implementation of Child Rights Law as a way of ensuring the survival, protection, well being and development of Nigerian children.

Maina disclosed that the Federal Executive Council approved a National Gen-der policy for Nigeria in 2006 and that 2011 marked the end of the five-year cy-cle of the policy document and the first three years of the five-year implementa-tion period of the strategic implementation frame-work.

She noted that the over-all goal of the policy was to promote the welfare and rights of Nigerian women

and children in all aspects of life.

While pointing out that tremendous progress had been made in various forms since its approval, she noted that lots of vac-uum still exist, hence her call for a review of the policy so as to incorporate new issues and challenges as well as needs and aspi-rations.

The minister stated that her ministry deemed it necessary to solicit Lagos State support and coopera-tion to the team of experts that would be visiting the state to gather data in this regard.

As part of her ministrys effort for the upliftment

and raising the standard of living of women and chil-dren across the country, Maina disclosed that food processing machines had been consistently supplied to states for distribution to womens cooperatives at the grassroots.

Also through Women Fund for Economic Em-powerment (WOFEE), she said the ministry in collab-oration with Nigeria Agri-cultural Cooperative and Rural Development Bank (NACRDB) now Bank of Agriculture had disbursed N261, 500 to 3, 281 beneficia-ries in 28 states of the Fed-eration including Lagos.

While disclosing that La-gos is one of 24 states in the

country that have passed the Child Rights law, Mai-na expressed displeasure in its implementation and enforcement.

According to her, Lagos State is one of the 24 in the federation that have passed the Child Rights law, its im-plementation and enforce-ment have been very slow.

This law, if well imple-mented will be of immense benefit to the state and ensure the survival, pro-tection, well being and de-velopment of our children into well adjusted individu-als contributing meaning-fully to nationhood.

In her response, the La-gos State Deputy Governor, Mrs Orelope-Adefulure

who also doubles as the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation said Lagos un-der the leadership of Gov-ernor Babatunde Fashola has been given women the necessary support in poli-tics and decision making.

She said the incumbent chief judge of the state is a woman just like her pre-decessor while according to her, female gender has reasonable number in the cabinet as well as in the state assembly.

She also said that there is a woman senator rep-resenting the state while about eight other women are serving in the House of Representatives.

Minister seeks review of national gender policy

would be the final decision for the region, noting that the outcome of the elec-tion in Edo State was not a surprise to anybody.

He said: We have al-ways known that this is what was going to happen. Because, if you could re-call, Goodluck Jonathan, here in Bayelsa State , made a statement that the way they are giving Bay-elsa to PDP, they will give Edo as a parting gift to Chief Tony Anenih. But, I think God spoke through the people of Edo the way we had always wanted him

to speak. God through the people of Edo showed the leadership of the PDP and the Presidency that He is the ultimate fixer and not man.

God gave Adams Osh-iomhole the heart to stand firm and encouraged him to stand against injustice in our democracy. The votes counted and this is a pointer that by 2015, the end of the PDP is loom-ing. Nigerians will wake up from their slumber and be begging to see Edo as a living example to stand and protect their votes.

It is a fact that if the real election is conducted, the PDP will not win 10 out of the 774 local government areas in the country. Nige-rians are tired of the sto-ries of the PDP. This one in Edo is a living example that they never wanted the PDP to continue, Frank-Oputu insisted.

We also pray that God should not stop at Edo State, He should go to Riv-ers, Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom states and oth-ers that are in the shack-les of bondage of the PDP, he added.

Opposition plot against PDP in South-SouthSEGUN KOIKI

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN has concluded plans to remove abandoned air-crafts from the tarmac of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, La-gos, Nnamdi Azikiwe In-ternational airport and six others in the country.

This fact was disclosed by the Public Affairs Man-ager of FAAN, Mr. Akin Olukunle at the weekend.

According to him, the exercise is expected to take place within the month.

He said, By the end of this month, we are going ahead to remove the planes in the overall public inter-est. We have given enough time to the owners to do so, but some have not.

In February, we pub-lished a notice, giving three months grace period for them to move the planes away and there is no more extension.

Anyone who feels ag-grieved should realise that we cannot continue to jeop-ardise the safety of pas-sengers because of a few people.

Olukunle said the re-moval would be done in public glare adding that the presence of the dis-used planes could attract

strange elements to the air-port environment.

In all there are 65 aban-doned aircrafts in eight air-ports in the country. The air-ports are MMIA, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Air-port, Abuja, Sam Mbakwe International Cargo airport, Owerri, Yakubu Gowon air-port, Jos, Kaduna airport, Malam Aminu Kano air-port, Kano, Benin airport and the Maiduguri airport.

Some of the aircrafts that have been in the air-ports since 2009 belong to Albarka airline owned by former Lagos Military Administrator, General Mohammed Buba Marwa, Okada airline owned by the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Fresh airlines, ADC, Sosoliso and the Nigerian airways.

This latest move is com-ing after a 10-year tussle be-tween some airline opera-tors, who own the disused property, and the regula-tors in the industry.

A significant number of unused aircraft belonging to a number of defunct op-erators have been parked for years after they ceased to airlift passengers.

Earlier attempts to re-move the planes from public glare were stalled in what had been tagged a battle of wits between regulators and the defunct airline owners.

FAAN set to remove abandoned aircraft from airports

EMMA GBEMUDUYENAGOA.

Ahead of the 2015 general election, Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) in Bayelsa State yesterday revealed that op-position political parties in the South South region were making strategic plots to wrest power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the region.

Chairman of CNPP in the state, Sunday Frank-Oputu, in a statement made available to Sunday Mirror in Yenagoa, said the landslide victory of the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomole, in the recent gubernatorial poll in the state would be trans-lated in the five states of the region to beat the dom-inance of the PDP.

Frank-Oputu argued that Gods intervention on the plight of the people of the region had manifested in Edo State through the re-election of Oshiomhole, stressing that the victory of the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) was a living example that the people were being forced to live with the PDP.

According to the poli-tician, the 2015 election

NWABUEZE OKONKWOONITSHA

Victims of erosion gullies at Oko in Orum-ba North Local Government Area of Anambra State are now counting their huge losses since the advent of this years rainy season.

One of the victims, Mr. Martin Ezeofor whose house stands less than two metres away from the erosion site, said he had been forced to abandon his two-story building, a boys quarter and the entire compound worth N150 million to move his family to a safer place.

He said although the building was yet to cave into the gully completely, he was com-pelled to vacate the residence because it is only a tree that hears that it will be cut down that stands still in a place.

Speaking to newsmen at one of the ero-sion gully sites, Ezeofor, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to come to their aid before the entire communities were washed away.

He recalled that the menace of erosion had plagued communities in the area. According to him, in Ekwulobia and Amaokpala alone, properties worth N2.5 billion had been lost over the years.

Other residents who spoke to Sunday Mir-ror at the landslide site were Ichie Barnabas Nwafor who claimed to have already lost property worth N120 million, while Bomboy Onyeagba and Cyprian Ezeokeke put their own losses at N90 million and N70 million re-spectively; just as Joseph Ibeakamma, Hilary Ezeofor and Nneka Ezeokeke also claimed to have lost between N55 million, N35 million and N20 million each.

They emphasised that there were still so

many other victims who could not be reached to comment on their estimated losses because they had completely vacated the area.

Bounded in the North by Nanka, in the South by Ndiowu, in the East by Amaok-palaand Ndikelionwu and in the West by Ekwulobia communities, Oko community in Orumba North Local Government area of Anambra State is currently endangered

Not minding that the ancient communi-ty produced Second Republic Vice-President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, and is also hosting the Federal Polytechnic, indigenes of Oko are now living in fears, fiollowing the menace of the ecological disaster.

Many years ago, the neighbouring Nanka community also in Orumba North Local Gov-ernment, was badly hit by the same erosion problem to the extent that the community became synonymous with ecological disaster.

Specifically, it is no longer news that ero-sion is corroding fast, what remains of the habitable soil of Nanka. However, what is shocking is the frenetic speed of the corro-sion. Between last year and this years rainy seasons alone, erosion sites have increased from 15 to 20 gullies, a situation which has so far led to the caving in of more than 15 homes and rendering the people homeless, In-terestingly, Professor Dora Akunyili, the erst-while Director-General of National Foods and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) was born in Nanka but her husband hails from neighbouring Agulu community, the home-town of Governor Peter Obi.

The President-General of Nanka Patri-otic Union (NPU), Chief Damian Okoye, who spoke during a recent annual cultural festi-val, expressed the fear that by the end of this years rainy season, many more houses would have caved in.

Ive abandoned N150m mansion to save my family

Ibadan fl ood: For fo

Okoye, therefore, called on both the federal and state governments to address the erosion menace in the community, which he said had become so notorious that virtually all the heads of governments in Nigeria had visited the ero-sion sites and seen things for themselves but could not do anything to ameliorate the situa-tion.

In their separate speeches, the traditional ruler of Nanka, Igwe Gilbert Ofomata; Chief Peter Chinedu, the chief executive officer of Chipet Oil; Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, a one-time president-general of the town and Chief Okwudili Nwankwo, the incumbent president-general of Amalgamated Market Traders As-sociation of Anambra State (AMATAS), also appealed to governments at all levels to expe-dite action in taming the erosion gullies, which they said are more than 20 in number.

The same menace affected Umuchiana vil-

lage of the neighbouring Ekwulobia commu-nity few years ago to the extent that not only about 10 buildings perished, the federal road linking Oko and Ekwulobia was cut into two until Governor Peter Obi came to the rescue by awarding the contract to reclaim the road and stop further encroachment, while the big gully is left to stare at the face of passersby.

Back to the latest erosion threats at Oko, which have virtually sent some of the villagers packing, the communitys monarch, Igwe (Professor) Laz Ekwueme, a younger brother to Alex Ekwueme, has sent a Save Our Souls (SOS) message to both the state and feder-al governments and the World Bank, asking for urgent assistance before more people are ren-dered homeless by the landslide.

Igwe Ekwueme, who made the call on Mon-day when the member representing Orumba North/South Federal Constituency in the

KEMI OLAITANIBADAN

When the rains of last Saturday evening started in major parts of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, there was no inkling that it would come with tales of woes and disaster like the previous one that occured in July last year .

For the residents, the rains turned to

sheer agony, especially in areas that are prone to flooding. The flood not only sub-merged houses, churches and mosques with properties worth millions of naira swept away, lives were lost and about 13 bridges washed away.

The rain which started at about 9.30pm on Saturday till the early hours of the fol-lowing day was so much that by the time it had subsided, heavy flood had become the lot of residents of reas such as Apete, Odo-

Erosion site in Oko community

One of the areas affected by the flood in Ibadan

Anambra Erosion

Ekwueme, Obis hometowns worst hit

Ona Elewe, Sango, Eleyele, Alaro, Onipepeye , Celestial Junction area of Mokola, part of Sabo, Ajibode, Amuloko, Ogbere Olunloyo, Ogbere Babanla, Gbelekale and Sanyo with many of them counting their losses .

A resident of Odo-Ona area, Mr. Akinjide Akintola , while narratinghis experience, blamed the flood on the narrow bridge con-structed in the area, emphasising that the bridge needs urgent attention to avert sad occurrence in the next few days considering the looming heavy downpour as it is too low while the river really needs proper dredging.

In the first place, political influence af-fected the construction of the bridge. Instead of making the road from Orita to run straight and make the flow of water to be much easier, it was bent over there, so that some houses belonging to some powerful ones on the other side would not be affected. Nevertheless, the state government needs to dredge the river very deep to accommodate the volume of wa-ter flowing through it, he stated.

On the part of fish and poultry farmers in Ido Local Government area of the state, it would take a long time for them to recover from the loss they suffered from the flood that ravaged their farms with many of the

farmers in Araromi Idowu, Eleyele and Omi Adio worst hit . A visit to many fish ponds located at Omi Adio and Eleyele was reveal-ing, as many of the fish in the ponds had been washed away by the flood.

Speaking on his ordeal, Mr. Owoeye Og-unsanya, a fish farmer, said all his four ponds were swept away by the flood, stating, I cannot say this is how much I have lost but I know I have just placed about 10,000 finger-lings and as Im talking to you, everything has been washed away. I dont know where to start from.

A poultry farmer at Araromi Idowu , who simply identified himself as Bamidele, said about 1,000 birds were affected by the flood, saying, It is a natural phenomenon that we have no control over . I have witnessed flood since the 15 years of farming on this land, but this years came to be an exception. Well, I have to contend with it, it is a natural thing.

A victim of last years similar flood in-cident who was also affected by this years, Mrs. Iyabo Soyewo, while bemoaning her plight, said many of them living in Odo Ona in Apata area of the city, had thought that the state government would help find lasting solution to the problem of flood in the area.

10 Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netSM Extra

JUNE 24, 2012

STORIES THAT TOUCH YOU

ur hours, we kept vigil - Victim

House of Representatives, Hon. Ben Nwankwo, visited the erosion site which is also dangerously threatening his palace, said the appropriate au-thorities should save him and his family from the gully erosion.

The monarch who looked worried at the rate with which the erosion menace is fast approach-ing his palace, said that unless something urgent was done, his palace and its occupants stood the risk of being washed away.

He said that although contract for checking the threatening erosion had been awarded by the state government several months ago, the contractors were yet to be mobilised to site.

He lamented the delay in starting the erosion control project even when his palace and many other buildings and lives in his community were in danger.

He, therefore, called on the state governor, Mr. Peter Obi, to hasten action and mobilize the con-tractors to work in order to control the menace and save the lives and property of people resi-dent in the erosion-prone areas.

Earlier, Hon. Nwankwo had told the monarch that he was in Orumba North and South Lo-cal Government areas with a team of relevant Federal Government officials to monitor devel-opmental needs of the people, so as to work out ways of assisting them.

He commended the Igwe, Prof. Ekwueme, for his contributions in offering useful advice to him as the representative of the people at the federal level

The latest landslide Oko, which occurred last weekend around 8.00 am, further wreaked more havoc on the communities already ravaged by gully erosion.

The erosion which had reportedly claimed many lives and destroyed property estimated at billions of Naira, according to residents of the communities including the students of the Fed-eral Polytechnic Oko, took a more dangerous di-mension sometime in February, this year when without any rains, the landslide cut the major drainage that has controlled the gully erosion in the two communities.

Villagers lamenting their loss

Laz Ekwueme Peter Obi

that the experience of last year was one that they could not forget in a hurry.

According to her, she, like the other resi-dents thought that the Odo Ona River would be dredged and expanded to stave off flooding.

She said, After about four hours that the rain started and it did not stop, we knew that we were in for another problem, and it did not take long to come, such that by midnight, none of us could sleep. We kept vigil as the flood started flowing in and ravaging most of the buildings in the area. By early in the morning, it was tales of woe with those of us living on the ground floor trying to remove some of our belongings upstairs.

Speaking in the same vein, Yomi Adeniran, a student ofThe Polytechnic, Ibadan, who re-sides at Apete area, said the flood was abomb expected to detonate. According to him, while the flood of last year led to the total collapse of the bridge linking the community with Eleyele, the make shift bridge constructed was one that could certainly stand the heavy rainfall of that day. He said that he and other students could not relocate from the area be-cause it is very close to their institution.

While many people were heaving a sigh of relief that the flood did not unlike that of Au-

gust 26, last year, bring in its wake loss of lives, it was to be another story on Tuesday as three dead bodies were found floating at Dandaru River along the Secretariat/Parliament

Road. The three bodies, two of which are those of policemen with the State Command were found floating in the early hours of the day at a dam close to the Fisheries Depart-ment of the State Ministry of Agriculture.

The victims Ojo Adelusi, Sunday Ijoh, Sunkami Iyiola, Wole Iyiola and Ope Ogung-bemi had left for a popular night club in the metropolis around 10.30pm on Saturday and their car fell into a canal at Favours area along Bodija, Ibadan with the car discovered early Sunday morning. Ijoh, who was one of the dead bodies was a corporal with the State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), while Sunkanmi Iyiola and Wole Iyiola were of the same parents, with Wole, only married about three weeks ago.

A sister to two of the deceased, Mrs. Bunmi Qudus, said five people wereinside the car before they were swept away by the raging flood and the family had been search-ing for them since Sunday morning, stating When we couldnt find them, we reported at the police station. They had all left home

around 10.30pm on Saturday for a club. But, after sometime, we could not have any contact with any of them. We thought that they would return on Sunday morning, but we didnt see them only to be called some minutes after that their car has been discovered.

As victims of the flood were busy counting their losses, the opposition Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP) in the state while berating the state government, attributed the flood to what it called abject negligence in handling the flood disaster by the administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

The PDP in a statement by its Synergy League spokesman, Prince Dotun Oyelade declared that 11 months after last years flood disaster during which federal and state gov-ernments and corporate bodies donated hand-somely to bolster government purse to assist thousands of victims, nothing meaningful has been achieved by the state government.

What we see is tentative and un -coordi-nated approach during which Governor Aji-mobi threatened that government will not take responsibility if some inhabitants refuse to vacate danger zones, this virtual abdication of executive duty is intolerable and must be condemned by all.

The PDP also challenged the Ajimobi-led administration to own up on the donations made to the flood victims and the state gov-ernment on last years flood, which led to the untimely death of hundreds of people.

But in a swift reaction, the state govern-ment, speaking through the Special Adviser to Governor Ajimobi on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, explained that as part of its efforts at preventing a repeat of the August 26 2011 flooding, it undertook the dredging of rivers and construction of bridges so as to prevent a recurrence It added that upon hearing the distress calls of residents of the affected areas in the early hours of Sunday, government im-mediately dispatched a team of commission-ers, special advisers, State Emergency Man-agement Agency officials, as well as the state fire-fighting team to the affected areas, so as to have a first-hand assessment of the flooding.

Adedayo added: We are all living witness-es to the widespread nature of the flood disas-ter of August 26, 201, government came back in the aftermath of that devastating flood to the drawing table. It immediately set up a panel to look into the overt and covert causes of the flood, with a view to recommending ap-propriate solutions.

CHINEDUM EMEANA PORT HARCOURT

The Abuloma community in Rivers State has forbidden the corpse of those who died on Friday following a fire at the Abuloma Jetty, from being carried through their land.

They said it is a taboo, according to their culture and tradition, for any dead body that died inside or near water (river, ocean, etc) to be retrieved and brought into the land or carried through the community to be buried there or elsewhere. No dead by water must pass through the community. It must be buried by the waterside or inside the water, the com-munitys elders insist.

This came against the backdrop of the fire incident that rocked Abuloma Jetty, killing at least six persons and injuring many others.

Sunday Mirror after witnessing the re-trieving of a dead body simply identified as Ahmeds brother from the water yesterday afternoon, which was transported in a speed boat to the mortuary in Port Harcourt through Marine Base, wondered why those responsible for conveying the dead did not take the easier route of putting the body in a vehicle and de-positing it in a mortuary in Abuloma.

The deceased Ahmeds brother was said to have jumped into the water from the burning vessel, but drowned because he couldnt swim.

Mr. Robert Owoi, a security personnel in PW Yard, one of the firms in the Abuloma Jetty engaged in Tugboat and Vessel mainte-nance and repair, explained that anybody who dies in water is forbidden to be taken upland.

The corpse must be buried either at the waterside or any other place, but must not be carried through the land, he said, eliciting a

chorus of agreement from those around. However, he said if anybody insists on tak-

ing a dead body from the river through their land, some sacrifices have to be performed by the elders of the community, in order to obtain permission.

As at yesterday afternoon when Sunday Mirror visited the scene of the Friday jetty fire, it was observed that the fire has still not been put out totally. It was still burning slowly, emitting thick, apparently unhealthy smoke, polluting the whole environment.

Some of the eye witnesses told our corre-spondent that those who died inside the vessel have not been removed.

Mr. Emenike Umesi, South-South Coordi-nator of National Emergency Management Authority, confirmed that the fire is still burn-ing, but very low.

He put the casualty figures at four dead, and two injured, while the damages recorded include one fishing boat, one tugboat and two barges.

Umesi called for the speedy removal of the burnt vessels from the water to avoid further accidents.

However, The Rivers State Police Commis-sioner, Mr. Mohammed Indabawa, said that six persons died in the Abuloma Jetty vessel fire.

I can confirm to you that so far, none of the six persons who were on board the vessel came out.

However, there are some other casualties but I cannot confirm that to you now, because the fire is still raging on the vessel. Until to-morrow before any one can dare go near the place. Everywhere is hot and huge smoke is billowing from the ship, he said.

Abuloma Jetty fi re:

Community bars victims bodies Says any death on water or near water is abomination

Vessel still burning as at Saturday afternoon Youths removing one of the dead from the scene.

Sunday Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 11Sunday, July 22, 2012 SM Extra

Nigerians, most sexually satisfi ed in the world - Report

Igbo youths bestow posthumous honour on Zik, Ibiam, others NIGERIA IN BRIEF

Youths under the auspices of Igbo Youths Movement (IYM) yesterday bestowed posthu-mous honours on first Nigerian President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, governor of defunct Eastern Region, Dr. Francis Akanu Ibiam, Premier of defunct Eastern Region, Sir Micheal Okprara, for their numerous contributions to Ndigbo and Nigeria.

The group also honoured

former Vice President of Nigeria, Dr Alex Ekwueme, former Ohanaeze President General, Dr Dozie Ikedife, among others in the living category as part of ac-tivities marking its 13th Annual Convention.

Speaking shortly after receiv-ing the recognition on behalf of her husband, wife of Dr Azikiwe, Professor Uche, described the late former president as a man

who worked so hard for the unity of the country.

She explained that her late husband worked relentlessly for the freedom of Nigeria and the blacks, adding that his love for the country made him to come back from abroad.

According to her, her husband was satisfied with his position then as a ceremonial president, adding that he never wanted crisis.

An Igbo socio-cultural group, Ndigbo Unity Forum, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for the confirmation of Mr. Moham-med Abubakar as Inspector General of Police.

In a statement signed by its chairman, Augustine Chuk-wudum, the group therefore called on every Nigeria to give the Abubakar all the needed support so that he can tackle

the problem of insecurity in the country.

Let the citizens provide useful information to the po-lice, because for Nigeria to be attractive to foreign investors there must be security. No-body will invest in a country where there is no security of live and property, that is why it became imperative that every hand must be on deck to tackle this issue of insecurity,

it quoted. It also urged Northern

Leaders to come out and disown the terrorist group called Boko Haram