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The Minna Chief Magistrate Court Number One Tuesday ordered the remand of two middle-aged men in correctional custody for gang-raping a 12-year-old girl.
The Presiding Chief Magistrate, Hajiya Ummulkhatum Mohammed, who ordered their remand, said the court will conduct a full trial of the case in view of its heinous nature against the innocent girl.
Umaru Hussaini and Zulkibilu Musa, all residents of the Sabon Gari area of Kagara, headquarters of Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, were said to have lured the girl into the room of Zulkibilu Musa, after which they raped her one after the other.
According to police Prosecutor Inspector Bello Mohammed Beji, the two defendants were standing trial on two counts of charges of joint act and unlawful sexual intercourse with a child, "which contravened sections 79 of the penal code law and section 26 (2) of the Niger State Child Rights Act 2021.".
He told the court that one Lawal Haruna of the Sabon Gari area of the same address reported to Kagara Divisional Police headquarters that the two defendants lured his 12-year-old daughter to the room and gang raped her one after the other.
Upon receipt of the report, he further told the court that detectives swung into action and effected the arrest of the two defendants, and during police interrogation, they both confessed to having committed the offence.
When the charges were read to them by the presiding chief magistrate, Hajiya Ummulkhatum Mohammed, Umaru Hussaini pleaded guilty to the crime, while Zulkibilu Musa pleaded not guilty.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Bello Mohammed, applied for the adjournment of the case for the police to bring their witnesses to commence a full trial in the case, while he requested the remand of the two defendants in correctional custody.
Ruling on the application of the prosecutor, Hajiya Ummulkhatum Mohammed, then ordered their remand and adjourned the case to February 14, 2024, for hearing.
The Farmer Governor of Niger State, Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago, has said that the state has the potential for wealth creation through agriculture.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, stated this at the Phase II distribution of agricultural assets, inputs, and work tools to farmers and Labour Intensive Public Workforce (LIPW) beneficiaries held at the Polo Ground, Minna, on Tuesday.
He said that the majority of farmers in Niger State were peasant farmers who, despite that, could hardly feed their families all year round because the economy was biting harder, adding that the state has the potential to turn fortunes around for the better if well harnessed.
"If we can utilise the God-given lands we have, it is not only Niger State we can feed; we can feed Nigeria.
"Whether it is farming crops on the upper land or irrigation farming, we cannot only feed ourselves; rather, we will make Niger State one of the competing states in terms of wealth creation through agriculture," said the governor.
He appealed to all to key into the New Niger Agenda of the present administration in the state to recover our economy and promote the state beyond the shores of North Central and Nigeria.
The governor added that the event was a demonstration of commitment to the New Niger Agenda, which aimed at diversifying the economy of the state and ensuring food security, urging the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items given to them.
The Niger State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon. Musa Salihu Bawa, who gave a breakdown of the intervention items, said over 10,000 beneficiaries will benefit from the intervention.
He urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items, saying they will be closely monitored by the facilitators at the community level, desk officers, state Fadams N-CARES office, officials from ministries of agriculture, finance, and planning commissions, as well as federal agencies and the World Bank.
Highlights of the event were the presentation of a N100,000 check to about 3,000 beneficiaries of the cash transfer programme, boats, and live jackets to riverine communities by the Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA)..
