Metro
Scarcity of husbands looms in Southeast, Commission warns
Restiveness and killings in Anambra State and the Southeast geopolitical zone in general will deny women the opportunity of having spouses.
The declaration was made in the report of the Anambra Truth, Justice and Peace Commission (ATJPC), the Executive Summary of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka, the state capital, yesterday.
It noted that restiveness and killings had resulted in a structural problem of demographic sustainability because women were finding it difficult to find mating partners.
The report stated that women are some of the worst-hit victims as they have suffered and might continue to suffer from killings, rape, loss of husbands and sons, and denial of livelihoods.
It noted also that thousands of young people had been killed since 1999 when restiveness became pronounced in the region, just as many had fled the rural areas.
“The killings from the ongoing violence in Igboland generally and in Anambra in particular due to violent crimes and claims of agitation have once again disproportionately affected the stock of young males in the region.
“It has reduced the likelihood that women will be able to find suitable mating or marriageable partners while also increasing the likelihood that females will end up unmarried and reproductively unfulfilled.
“It will further swell the number of unmarried women in the region, particularly among those who reside in the homeland and have limited interaction outside the boundaries of home.
“These women could remain unmarried or wait out their productive years in search of a suitor who has likely been killed.
“They may feel intimidated about giving birth to a child outside marriage for fear of being labeled wayward and humiliating their families for birthing children into illegitimacy,’’ it declared.
The report recalled the case of Amaka Igwe, the lawyer who was killed in Onitsha alongside her husband.
It also recalled the killing of Harira Jubril near Umunze in Orumba South Local Government Area on May 25, 2022 alongside her four daughters.
It stated that the killings had resulted into destitution or dependencies among men and had led to economic impoverishment for many women, mass widowhood and enforced childlessness.
It noted that in rural or farming communities, polygamy had remained prevalent and women’s access to land depended on their relationship with the men in their lives.
The livelihood consequences of the killings for women could be very severe, it stressed.
“Married women who have no sons can lose access to land and to subsistence in a political economy in which re-marriage can be quite difficult for a woman with children.
“Naturally, the additional stress of this kind of life on top of the trauma of the disappearance of the husband or bread-winner can lead to diminished outcomes for physical and mental health.
“As many communities devolved subsequently into more generalised forms of atrocity and violence, hospitals and healthcare facilities had been destroyed in the restiveness.
“Healthcare workers had become afraid of showing up for work and access to reproductive healthcare and facilities had become more rarefied in the rural areas.
“Unlike most other parts of Nigeria which have a problem of girl-child school enrolment, Anambra leads the states of Southeast Nigeria in a unique regional problem of diminishing boy-child school enrolment and retention,’’ it stated.
It noted that women typically contributed to the livelihood and education of their children, but with their sources of income cut off, their children were denied access to basic nutrition and to social services.
The report stressed that consequences of insecurity had negated previous progress made on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Anambra as young boys abandoned education and fled their communities for fear of being killed or abducted.
The United Nations created 17 world development goals called the SDGs in 2015 with the aim of peace and prosperity for people and the planet, then and into the future.
The goals have 2030 as their attainment target date.
Anambra’s 14-man ATJPC was inaugurated in June 2022 to investigate insecurity in Anambra and the Southeast in general.
It submitted its final report to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Wednesday.
It had Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, a human rights lawyer and former Chairman of Nigeria Human Rights Commission, as its chairman.
Justice Rahmon Oshodi of a Lagos State High Court has ordered the remand of an accountant, Oguibe Nwachukwu, who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged theft of N200m, to the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
The EFCC, in a statement shared on Facebook on Monday, disclosed that the defendant, alongside his company, is facing 13 counts bordering on stealing.
According to the EFCC, Nwachukwu, in 2020, allegedly converted the sum of $36,000, which was entrusted to him by his former employer, Travelstar Web Logistics Limited.
The EFCC added in another count that the suspect had also allegedly converted the sum of $156,000 belonging to the same company for personal use between January and July 2018.
The statement read in part, “That you, Oguibe Promise Nwachukwu, being the alter ego of Wifamapp Royalty Global Limited and Wifamapp Royalty Global Limited, being a company incorporated in Nigeria sometime in March, 2020 in Nigeria, within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of $36,000 property of Travelstar Web Logistics Limited entrusted to you, being the custodian as an accountant to the Travelstar Web Logistics Limited, thereby committed an offence stealing, contrary to Section 280(1) (b) and (2) (f) and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
“That you, Oguibe Promise Nwachukwu, being the alter ego of Wifamapp Royalty Global Limited and Wifamapp Royalty Global Limited, being a company incorporated in Nigeria sometime between January 29, 2018 and July, 2018 in Nigeria, within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of $156,000 property of Travelstar Web Logistics Limited entrusted to you, being the custodian as an accountant to the Travelstar Web Logistics Limited, thereby committed an offence Stealing, contrary to Section 280(1) (b) and (2) (f) and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
The defendant was said to have pleaded not guilty when the charges were read against him.
The EFCC noted that following his plea, the prosecution counsel, A.A. Usman, prayed the court for a trial date and that the suspect should be remanded in the EFCC’s custody.
The statement noted that the defendant’s attorney argued there was a pending bail application and requested the court to remand his client in EFCC custody.
“The defence counsel, Kelvin C. Uzozie, informed the court of a pending bail application on behalf of his client and also pleaded that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC custody.
“After listening to both parties, Justice Oshodi adjourned till October 17, 2025, for the hearing of the bail application and also ordered the remand of the defendant at the Correctional Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos,” the statement concluded.
The EFCC has in recent times prosecuted high-profile financial fraud cases involving public officials.
PUNCH Metro reported on January 17 that the EFCC arraigned an ex-Accountant General of the Federation, Anamekwe Nnabuoku, for alleged fraud amounting to N1.9 billion.
Similarly, in April 2025, the EFCC arraigned the Accountant General of Bauchi State for alleged fraud totalling N8.3bn.
These cases highlight the EFCC’s ongoing efforts to tackle large-scale financial crimes involving custodians of public resources.
The Punch
A prolonged family dispute concerning the extensive estate of the late Chief Harrison Jefia has intensified, resulting in a criminal trial.
Joseph Jefia, the ninth child of the deceased and a cleric, is currently facing allegations of forgery and fraudulent claims to inheritance.
He is appearing before a Federal High Court in Abuja to address these charges.
The case with next hearing date fixed for October 23, is under charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/501/2024, where the Federal Government is the complainant and Joseph Jefia is the defendant.
Mrs. Onoriode Lyn James (née Jefia), the United Kingdom-based eldest child of the late Chief Jefia, had petitioned the Pastor-in-Charge of Region 23 of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, where her half-brother, Joseph Jefia pastors a church, accusing him of illegally taking control of the family’s assets shortly after their father died in 2003.
These assets include more than 100 housing units, a mansion in Effurun, multiple country homes, large tracts of land, cash in various banks, and a road contract valued at N1.2 billion.
According to Mrs. James, Pastor Jefia and his siblings allegedly broke into their late father’s residence while the patriarch was on his deathbed, taking possession of all personal and business documents.
Investigations by law enforcement and forensic experts revealed that the document was fraudulent and unregistered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), in violation of the Companies and Allied Matters Act.
The police subsequently charged Pastor Jefia for presenting the forged document in defense of his actions during a dispute involving his half-sister, whom he allegedly harassed during a visit to the family property in Effurun.
Court records show that the family had already shared the landed properties of the late Chief Jefia based on traditional arrangements and legal proceedings.
Despite this, Pastor Joseph is accused of continuing to collect rent from properties not allocated to him and allegedly selling plots of land belonging to other heirs.
The matter, which has spanned more than 22 years, has now reached a turning point with criminal charges brought against the pastor. The trial continues this month, with court dates scheduled for October 23.
Mrs. James has called on the leadership of RCCG, where Pastor Jefia is said to have served in various regions including Kolokolo/Enerhen and PTI, to intervene and uphold the church’s moral standards.
“Our father left enough for every one of his children to prosper. But Joseph’s greed, enabled by forged documents and disregard for family and tradition, has robbed us of justice for over two decades,” she said.
A Magistrate Court in Kano has ordered the remand of popular TikTok user, Ashiru Idris, popularly known as Mai Wushirya, at a Correctional Centre for posting indecent videos involving a dwarf woman whose name was undisclosed on social media.
The court, presided over by Magistrate Halima Wali of Court No. 7, ordered that the TikToker be sent to a correctional centre for two weeks before the hearing continues.
It was reported that officials of the Kano State Censorship Board arrested Mai Wushirya last week after clips showing him in a shirtless state engaging in what authorities described as “immoral and demeaning acts” with a dwarf woman went viral online.
The Board maintained that the circulated videos were in direct violation of the state’s Censorship laws which prohibit the distribution of obscene or sexually suggestive materials.
Speaking to journalists after the ruling, the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Censorship Board, Abdullahi Sani Sulaiman, disclosed that the court has directed the appearance of the woman involved before the next hearing.
“The court has also ordered his partner to appear in court before the hearing continues. Even before we arraigned him, we tried to get him to cooperate with us in helping us locate her, but he refused. However, now that the court has ordered it. I’m sure we will be successful in bringing her,” Sulaiman revealed.
Sulaiman also revealed they have received reports that the woman featured in the videos has since escaped to Zamfara State but efforts continue to ensure her return to Kano to face trial alongside the TikToker.
Leadership
In a landmark move to boost rural entrepreneurship and support women in creative industries, the Delta State Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency (DEMSMEDA), in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady, Deaconess (Mrs.) Tobore Oborevwori, is set to host the M.O.R.E. CAP-UP Grant Disbursement Ceremony on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.
The event will take place at Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, with the official ceremony kicking off at 11:00 a.m. prompt, while accreditation for beneficiaries will begin at 9:00 a.m.
The M.O.R.E. CAP-UP program (an initiative under the MORE Agenda of the Oborevwori administration) is aimed at empowering women across the three senatorial districts of Delta State by providing financial support to 320 women engaged in various creative sectors.
These women were carefully selected from rural communities to ensure equitable participation and impact at the grassroots level.
Her Excellency, Deaconess (Mrs.) Tobore Oborevwori, Wife of the Executive Governor of Delta State, will personally oversee the grant disbursement during the ceremony, reaffirming the state government’s commitment to gender inclusion and rural development.
Dr. Godwin Adolor, Executive Secretary/CEO of DEMSMEDA, in a statement, emphasized the importance of supporting rural women in creative industries, noting that the initiative aligns with the state government’s drive to promote inclusive economic growth through innovation and enterprise.
“All are cordially invited to attend this event as we celebrate and support women who are shaping the creative economy in our rural communities,” the statement concluded.
Seventeen passengers have lost their lives in a road accident in Zamfara State.
The passengers died when a commercial bus conveying a bride and other wedding guests plunged into a river while attempting to cross a broken bridge between Gwalli village and Gummi town.
On Saturday, the victims were travelling from Fass village in Gummi Local Government Area to Kebbi State to hand over the bride to her husband after the wedding Fatiha.
Eyewitness said the driver, unfamiliar with the terrain, attempted to navigate the damaged bridge, which had been temporarily patched with sandbags and stones by villagers.
The bus slipped off the makeshift passage and overturned into the river, leading to the drowning of the passengers.
Seventeen bodies have so far been recovered, while two persons remain missing.
The bride and a few passengers who had stepped out of the bus before the incident survived.
Confirming the tragedy, the Zamfara State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) reported that 17 people, mostly women, died in the crash.
In a statement, the FRSC Public Education Officer, SRC Isah Aliyu, explained that the accident occurred along Gwalli Road after a bridge that collapsed earlier in the week gave way.
He noted that residents had tried to create a makeshift passage with sandbags to enable motorists to cross, but the effort failed, leading to the disaster.
The FRSC Zamfara Sector Commander, Aliyu Ma’aji, advised motorists to avoid night travel, desist from overloading, and always seek updated information on road conditions before embarking on any journey.
The Ogun State Government has issued a flood alert, advising residents of riverine and coastal communities throughout the state to evacuate to safer areas between the last week of September and the second week of October in order to mitigate the risks associated with severe flooding events.
Areas particularly vulnerable include communities along the Ogun, Ilo, Iju, Owa, and Yemule Rivers, specifically Isheri, Warewa, Akute, segments of Abeokuta, Ayetoro, Itele, and Iju, as well as coastal regions such as Makun, Oni, Iwopin, Igele, Ifaara in Ogun Waterside, Ebute-Imobi in Ijebu East, Tungeji Island, and Agosasa in Ipokia Local Government Area.
This advisory was articulated in the 2025 Ogun State Midterm Flood Alert Press Statement, which was disseminated on Sunday by the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Ola Oresanya.
Dr. Oresanya indicated that the anticipated flooding is attributable to multiple factors, including river overflow, rising sea levels, tidal locking, intense precipitation, water inflows from the northern regions of Nigeria and the Benin Republic, as well as potential water releases from the Oyan Dam.
“The overflow, which usually lasts for two weeks, is part of the second phase of flooding that occurs every year between September and November,” Oresanya said.
Citing projections from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Oresanya disclosed that September will witness the highest rainfall with 204mm, followed by October with 190mm, before a decline to 93mm in November.
To mitigate the impact, he assured residents that the State Emergency Management Agency is on red alert for emergency evacuation and relocation to temporary camps. He added that the Ministry of Environment is working closely with the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority to manage water releases from Oyan Dam.
The commissioner also cautioned residents in flood-prone areas against using boreholes and wells during this period, warning that water sources are likely to be contaminated.
Fish farmers across the state were advised to urgently harvest their stock to prevent losses, particularly those farming along floodplains in Eriwe, Yemule (Ijebu-Ode), Ilase, and Ayegbami in Yewa.
“Fish farmers must not delay in harvesting to avert their investments being washed away. Likewise, residents should avoid consumption of contaminated water as tidal variations will worsen water quality,” he warned.
Oresanya thanked residents for cooperating with the government on environmental issues, noting that such cooperation in the past six years had helped reduce flooding and its impact statewide.
He pledged the government’s continued commitment to safeguarding lives and property.
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