Crime
Catholic Priest lands in prison for raping, impregnating teenage girl
An Awka Chief Magistrates’ Court, otherwise known as the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court of Anambra State, has remanded a Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Nwaigwe Stephen to the Nigerian Correctional Center, for allegedly raping and impregnating a teenager.
The priest was also accused of forcefully taking the pregnant minor to Benin City, Edo State, where she was delivered of her baby, but police investigation revealed that the whereabouts of the said baby is still unknown.
The offence of sexual intercourse with a minor, is punishable under section 34(2) of the Child’s Rights Law of Anambra State, 2004.
It could be recalled that Fr. Nwaigwe was among the priests expelled by a popular Catholic Faith-Based Religious Congregation in Orlu, Imo State, known as the Two Hearts of Love Congregation” (Ugwu Nso) in 2018, for alleged misconducts inimical to the image of the order.
The priest reportedly met the teenager at the St. Albert The Great Catholic Church Parish, Obosi, Anambra State, where he was invited for a religious church programme.
Meanwhile, according to the victim, while answering questions in court during remand proceedings on Monday November 20, 2023, the priest took her from her parents to live with him when she was 14 years old, promising to sponsor her education, while she equally served as the priest’s cook.
She added that not long after she moved into the priest’s house, he started forcing himself sexually on her, saying that Rev. Fr. Nwaigwe continued doing it until she became pregnant at the age of 17.
The minor further stated that when she informed the priest about her pregnancy, the priest took her from Ihiala Anambra State, where they lived, to somewhere in Benin City, Edo State to the house of a man and woman who the priest introduced to her as his brother and brother’s wife.
“But when I gave birth to my baby at a native birth attendant’s house in Benin City, I was told that the baby died and when I made efforts for them to show me the dead baby, they said it has been buried”.
When Court asked if she had been gang-raped before, the minor noted, “While on our way to Benin City, father told me to say that I was gang-raped. But I have never been raped before, except the ones he (father) did to me in his house”.
Also, during remand proceedings, the Police prosecutor informed the court that there was a probable cause to order the remand of the priest; witnesses were bound over to appear before the High Court to give evidence, whenever the case would be mentioned.
However, the defence counsel applied for bail of the defendant, urging the court to exercise his disrection of bail in favour of the defendant, while citing Sections 13(3), 71(3), 72 and 73 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Anambra State, 2022, as well as, Sections 35 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as Amended.
He also prayed the court to grant bail to the priest in most liberal terms; assuring the court that Rev. Fr. Stephen Nwaigwe would never jump bail, if granted.
But, in a vehement opposition to the bail application by the defence counsel, the police prosecutor prayed the court to refuse bail to the clergyman, stating that the case before the court was an offence against a minor who was supposedly under the spiritual guardianship of the defendant.
The prosecuting police officer emphasised that the defendant had since been suspended by the authorities of the Roman Catholic Church, noting that the claim that the defendant had serious health challenge to warrant being granted bail, was never certified by a qualified medical personnel, as required by the ACJL, 2022.
According to the police prosecutor, the defendant could jump bail and leave the country without standing his trial, if granted bail.
Ruling on the bail application, the presiding Chief Magistrate, Genevieve Osakwe, stated that the case before the court was an offence punishable with life imprisonment, regretting that the offence of rape against minors was becoming rampant in the society.
She warned that the court would not fold its hands to watch the society decay, irrespective of whose ox is gored.
The court gave numerous instances of similar offences which had appeared before it in the past, mentioning specifically, a case involving a-75 year old man who also allegedly raped a minor and was accordingly remanded.
In the light of the above stance and other submissions by the honourable court, on point-of-Law, the defendant, Rev. Fr. Stephen Nwaigwe was accordingly remanded in the Correctional Center, even as the court urged him to seek his bail at the High Court.
Meanwhile, the Presiding Chief Magistrate ordered the Prosecuting Police Officer to transmit the original case file to the office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Anambra State.
She therefore adjourned the case to the 6th day of December, 2023, for report of compliance.
By Our Correspondent
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the search-and-rescue operation for 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members and other passengers abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road.
The victims were reportedly abducted on Thursday, October 1, 2026, around Umunoha in Imo State.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, CSP Anietie Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.
According to the statement, Nadada arrived in the state alongside two Commissioners of Police and immediately conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the incident and the ongoing rescue operation.
He also reviewed the operational strategies, deployment of personnel and available assets, while issuing additional directives aimed at strengthening the coordinated response.
The assessment was conducted alongside the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Garba Bosso; the Commissioner of Police in charge of Federal Operations, CP Akpan Anifiok; the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force; other service commanders and members of the management team of the Imo State Police Command.
Iniedu said the search-and-rescue operation had been intensified, with additional tactical teams and operational assets deployed to identified areas.
He added that the operation was being supported by intelligence-led tracking of the abductors and coordinated efforts with other security agencies.
Nadada assured members of the public that the police remained committed to securing the safe release of the abducted persons.
“The Nigeria Police Force is committed to securing the safe rescue of the 20 abducted persons and will sustain the operation until the mission is successfully concluded,” Iniedu quoted Nadada as saying.
The police boss urged members of the public and the media to remain calm and vigilant, while appealing to anyone with credible information that could assist the operation to contact the police or the nearest security formation.
He assured the public that all information received would be treated with strict confidentiality.
The police said further updates would be provided as the rescue operation progresses.
Five men have been arrested and arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Maiduguri, Borno State, after police allegedly found them wearing T-shirts bearing the words “Tinubu Must Go.”
The defendants were identified as Baba Aji Gremami, 44; Mustapha Abba Yemen, 28; Abbacha Mohammed Ali, 32; Adam Umar Gubio, 21; and Abdulhamid Mohammed, 21.
According to a First Information Report issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department, the incident occurred on September 25, 2026, near West End Roundabout in Maiduguri.
Police charged the five men with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri.
Their lawyer subsequently applied for bail. The court adjourned the matter until October 6, 2026, to rule on the bail application, while the substantive trial has been scheduled for October 26.
The case has drawn attention because the alleged conduct involved wearing clothing displaying a political message.
Amnesty International criticised the prosecution, describing the arrests as arbitrary and arguing that peaceful political expression is protected by fundamental human rights. The organisation called for the immediate release of the five men and urged authorities to discontinue the case.
Amnesty International also expressed concern that the prosecution could have implications for political expression and opposition activities in Borno State.
The case has generated reactions on social media, with some commentators questioning whether the display of political messages on clothing should constitute a criminal offence.
There have also been allegations that a prominent politician in Borno State may have influenced the arrests. The allegation has not been independently verified.
Efforts to obtain a comment from the Borno State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Kenneth Daso, were reportedly unsuccessful as of the time of filing.
The defendants remain subject to the court process, and the allegations against them have not been established in court.
The Jigawa State Hisbah Board has arrested eight people in Kazaure Local Government Area over alleged homosexual acts, according to the board.
The board’s Public Relations Officer, Dauda Hadejia, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Hadejia said the arrests followed a complaint filed by a 22-year-old man, who alleged that nine individuals had engaged in sexual acts with him on different occasions.
According to the statement, the complainant also claimed that he later contracted HIV, which he attributed to the alleged encounters. He reportedly appealed to the Hisbah authorities for justice, describing the alleged conduct as deceptive and harmful to his life.
Following the complaint, Hadejia said Hisbah operatives launched an investigation and began searching for the nine individuals named by the complainant.
“So far, eight suspects have been arrested, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining suspect,” Hadejia said.
He added that the eight arrested individuals reportedly admitted during preliminary investigations to having engaged in sexual acts with the complainant.
Hadejia said the board had gathered information and evidence that would be presented before a court. He added that the investigation remained ongoing and that the suspects would be charged upon its completion.
The Deputy Commander-General of the Jigawa State Hisbah Board, Dr. Hussain Baban, reportedly urged parents to pay closer attention to their children’s upbringing and the people with whom they associate.
He also called on members of the public to be mindful of the consequences of their actions and to uphold religious and moral values.
The board further expressed appreciation to the Jigawa State Government for its support and cooperation in carrying out its responsibilities.
A newly married couple, Funmilayo Bamidele and her husband, Reverend Abiodun David, have been abducted along the Iyemero-Eruku Road, a border route linking Kwara and Kogi states.
The couple were reportedly returning from their engagement ceremony in Eruku on Saturday evening when armed men intercepted their vehicle and abducted them alongside four other passengers.
According to sources, the vehicle was initially expected to take the Isanlu Road. However, the driver reportedly chose an alternative route to drop off the best man and other members of the group at Iyamoye in Kogi State.
The vehicle was subsequently intercepted by armed men along the Iyemero-Eruku Road, leading to the abduction of all the occupants.
A photograph of the newly abducted couple has since emerged following the incident, while details about the whereabouts of the other passengers remain unclear.
Confirming the incident on Sunday, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said soldiers had been deployed to search the surrounding bushes and rescue the victims while also pursuing the suspected kidnappers.
Ojo disclosed that the vehicle used by the victims was later found abandoned at a former police station in Ayetoro, Ekiti State.
He added that police operatives from Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti states were working jointly on the rescue operation because the incident occurred around the border communities of the three states.
Authorities have yet to disclose further details on the identities of the suspected abductors or whether any contact has been established with the victims.
At least five miners have been killed and two others injured after gunmen reportedly ambushed them at a mining site in Plateau State.
The incident occurred at about 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, in Marit village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
According to community sources, the miners were carrying out their legitimate activities when they came under attack. The incident has plunged the community into mourning and renewed concerns over the safety of residents in the area.
Confirming the attack, the National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Rwang Tengwong, said five people lost their lives while two others sustained injuries.
“It is a very sad and painful development. Our people are once again mourning the loss of lives to violence,” Tengwong said, while calling on security agencies to intensify efforts to protect communities and prevent similar incidents.
A community member, Simon Mundat, also described the attack as devastating and appealed to the authorities to strengthen security in the area.
“We are deeply saddened by this attack. We appeal to authorities to strengthen security in the area so that our people can go about their legitimate activities without fear,” he said.
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