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Police arrest man, 71, for allegedly raping 13-year-old girl

The Police Command in Gombe State has arrested a 71-year-old man for allegedly defiling a 13-year-old girl.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Maikudi Shehu, disclosed this during a press conference on Wednesday in Gombe.
Shehu said that the suspect, a maize seller at the Gombe main market, who resides in Idi quarters in Gombe, was arrested on June 18.
He said that preliminary investigation had revealed that the suspect lured the victim to grind corn and steal more corn at the grinding place.
“The suspect gave a talisman to the victim to bury in her house, which, he said, would protect her from being caught or seen while carrying out the act of stealing. The victim succeeded in stealing about 146 measures of corn.
The police commissioner said that the suspect, thereafter, had carnal knowledge of the girl, adding that the victim confessed to have been raped 10 times.
In a similar vein, Shehu said that the police command had also arrested a member of a kidnapping gang, who invaded Yelwa village in Akko Local Government area of the state to carry out their nefarious activities.
“Based on a distress call, a combined team of police patrol and hunters blocked the routes where the kidnappers went to carry out their crime and on sighting the policemen, the hoodlums opened fire.
“ During the exchange of fire with policemen, one of the kidnappers was gunned down and another person, who was also one of the kidnappers, was arrested while others fled with gunshot injuries,’’ he said.
Shehu stated that the kidnapped person had escaped unhurt, while the police recovered one locally-made pistol and two Bajaj motorcycles from the kidnappers.
While promising to continue to combat crimes and criminalities in the state, Shehu said investigations were ongoing to arrest the other kidnappers who had escaped.
He called on the people of the state to continue to support the police by giving vital information that would aid the arrest of criminals in various communities.
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PANDEF Clarifies Visit To Tinubu, Knocks Wike Over Inflammatory Comments

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to prevail on the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike to retract his publicly disparaging remarks made recently against the socio-political body.
PANDEF described as regrerrable and embarrassing comments by Wike in the aftermath of the group’s visit to Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, even to the extent of insulting the late former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin.
Recall that the FCT minister had, on Thursday, during a media chat, described PANDEF as “the worst organisation anybody can rely on”, while also calling the board of trustee members of the body “political merchants”.
In a statement signed by PANDEF Chairman on Saturday in Abuja, Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali, urged President Tinubu as the father of the nation, to prevail upon the Honourable Minister to retract his inflammatory statements and extend due respect to these eminent.
Igali clarified that the meeting with the president provided a valuable platform to discuss pressing issues of national and regional importance. Adding that “PANDEF remains unwavering in its commitment to peace, stability, and equitable development in the Niger Delta. We will continue to engage with great vigour, all relevant stakeholders in pursuit of lasting harmony in Rivers State and the broader South-South region.”
His words: ^To set the record straight, PANDEF the foremost socio-political body representing the South-South regions, composed of some of Nigeria’s most distinguished personalities. The delegation to Mr. President included chairpersons of at least four of the six SouthSouth states’ traditional councils, senior traditional rulers of major ethnic groups, former governors, past presiding officers of the Senate, prominent entrepreneurs, academics, and high-ranking retired military officers.
“It is, therefore, highly regrettable and totally unacceptable that a serving minister in the Federal Government would exhibit such brazen disrespect towards individuals of this standing. This attitude perhaps explains his continued refusal of the Minister to engage with the Peace and Reconciliation Committee, which PANDEF constituted as far back as October 2024, despite repeated attempts to reach.
“The Honourable Minister (Wike) characterized PANDEF as the worst organization ever” and accused its members of visiting the Presidential Villa merely to solicit financial favors. These statements are not only false but also unbecoming of a public official of his stature.
“PANDEF hereby calls upon Mr. President, as the father of the nation, to prevail upon the Honourable Minister to retract his inflammatory statements and extend due respect to these eminent Nigerians and traditional rulers who were, after all, esteemed guests of the Commander-in-Chief. It is apt to remind that the Minister does not own the Niger-Delta and his errant conduct should not be condoned.
“Notwithstanding this regrettable development, PANDEF remains unwavering in its commitment to peace, stability, and equitable development in the Niger Delta. We will continue to engage with great vigour, all relevant stakeholders in pursuit of lasting harmony in Rivers State and the broader South-South region,” Igali stated.
On efforts to restore peace in River State, Igali restated PANDEF’s commitment for peace in the oil-rich State.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Peace and Reconciliation Committee, which remains committed to resolving the Rivers State crisis,” Igali stated.
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