An indigenous woman in Mexico was sentenced to six years and two months in prison for the murder of her rapist.
The court acknowledged that the woman, named only as Roxana Ruiz, acted in self-defense when she killed her attacker in 2021, but said she used excessive force.
The woman, 23, first knocked the man unconscious, then strangled him and finally tried to dismember his body.
She kept the body for at least 20 hours before putting it in a plastic bag on the street.
The court said that it took into consideration the woman’s “vulnerability as a woman and as an indigenous person” in its sentencing.
“It was my life or his life,” the woman said. “I only wanted to defend my life from a rapist,” she said, adding that she acted out of fear.
She can still appeal the verdict.
The single mother from the southern state of Oaxaca is supported by women’s organizations.
She had already spent nine months in pre-trial detention before being released for the duration of the trial.
The Nigeria Governors’ Wives Forum (NGWF) has pledged to change the narrative by working towards ensuring the prompt release of nutrition budgets in the 36 States of the Federation.
The Chairperson of the NGWF, Mrs. Maryam Tambuwal, gave the pledge at a one-day National Conference on Women in Power held in Abuja.
Tambuwal also pledged the forum’s commitment to the establishment of nutrition departments in state Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The governor’s wives also promised to champion the practice of exclusive breastfeeding and adoption of six months of paid maternity leave for working mothers, as well as empower more women and girls by providing them access to continuous education, Inclusion in decision-making, and economic opportunities.
Tambuwal, who emphasized the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and why every child should have access to good nutrition, especially within the first 1000 days, noted that the Forum was paying attention to women in rural areas to ensure their children have access to good nutrition at the early phase of their lives.
“We are calling for accountability in terms of funds allocated for nutrition. We will ensure that there is proper disbursement of funds meant for nutrition at the state level.
“As governor’s wives, we are role models and would ensure that children have access to good nutrition”, she said.
She further called for collaboration and partnerships among relevant ministries and agencies to ensure good nutrition at state levels.
She charged mothers to ensure that their children have access to good nutrition, especially in the early phase of their lives.
“We need to ensure that every child has access to good nutrition, especially within the first 1000 days. We are paying attention to women in the rural areas.
Also speaking, the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen also called for an extension of paid maternity leave to six months for both private and public sector employees.
Tallen said that promoting exclusive breastfeeding in the first 1000 days, from pregnancy to two years of age was critical to enable all children to live healthily.
“Breast milk contributes to child brain development, increased intelligence, and lifelong productivity. The benefit of breastfeeding to both the mother, the child, and the society is quite enormous.
”It is essential to provide breastfeeding rooms, on-site crèches, and flexible work options to ensure baby-friendly workplaces. Empowering women and girls with education and resources to enable them to access optimal nutrition for themselves and their families”, she said.
A doctor attends to a malnourished child at a refugee camp in Yola, Nigeria in 2015, after being rescued from captivity by Boko Haram fighters.
The minister further added that the federal government is engaging in different initiatives to improve the nutrition indices in the country.
“The ministry is among the five critical sectors identified to implement the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN) project.
“It is an initiative by the Government of Nigeria with support from World Bank to increase the utilization of quality, cost-effective, and high-impact nutrition services for pregnant, lactating women, adolescent girls, and children under five years,” she said.
Dr Mbang Kooffreh-Ada, Senior Lecturer, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, University of Calabar, said that women and girls traditionally eat last and have lower-quality food, often leading to poorer nutritional intake.
“Under-nutrition in adolescent girls aged 15–19 years in Nigeria has been variously reported to range between 23 per cent and 58 per cent.
Kooffreh-Ada said that socio-economic and dietary factors were the underlying determinants of under-nutrition in rural adolescents.
“In some rural communities, negative social and cultural norms deny women and girls their right to good nutrition.
“Women make up nearly half of the Nigerian population but remain underrepresented in policymaking, including on issues related to their health and wellbeing.
“Stunting 37 percent, wasting 7.7 percent underweight 19.3 percent in children under five. Among Women of Reproductive ages, 38 percent of women over 18 years are overweight, 16 percent are obese, 55 percent anaemic, and 25 percent of women over 18 are diabetic,” she said.
She said that malnutrition is a leading cause of death in children under five years old in the country
“According to the Global Nutrition Report 2022 Nigeria Country Profile, only 56% of women aged 15-49 have minimally adequate dietary diversity (DHS 2018)
“According to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), the prevalence of anaemia among women aged 15-49 years in Nigeria is 29 per cent.
The same NDHS report reveals that 7 per cent of women aged 15-49 years are underweight, and 11 per cent are overweight or obese,” she said.
According to her, Girls are more likely to be malnourished than boys in Nigeria, with the prevalence of stunting and wasting being 38% and 7.7%, respectively, compared to boys’ 36.5% and 6.9%.
She said that these statistics highlight the urgent need to address the nutrition situation in the country, with a particular focus on women’s and girls’ nutrition.
She said that improving their nutrition status can have significant positive impacts on their health, education, and economic outcomes, which, in turn, can contribute to national development.
Seventeen years, after the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) demolition team first visited Gishiri, a community within Katampe District of the Federal Capital City (FCC) as the FCT Administration (FCTA), the team, on Wednesday, made good a second visit to cleanse the area of bad eggs.
The team moved its bulldozers into the area to carry out demolition of several illegal structures that were sitting on land meant for infrastructure development.
Nigerian Anchor gathered that the structures had been marked in March, April and early May in 2023.
But most of the residents, however, feigned ignorance of the several notices, feeling that it would never be carried out like it happened when the demolition team, first, visited in 2006.
Since then, the residents continued to build on high power tension and water channels despite warnings from the government.
Unknown to the residents, the demolition meant business on Wednesday, and they were caught unawares, as there was pandemonium and tears from the residents.
“I parked into this area in March 2022, and just renewed my rent in March 2023, which cost N400,000.00. Where can I park now? If I had known, I wouldn’t have come to this area,” one of the female victims, who spoke under anonymity said.
The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Minister of FCT on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah, said that the demolition was necessitated by the need to reclaim the place for infrastructure development.
He said that the victims took advantage of the proximity of the area to the FCC, and flouted the Abuja Master Plan rules, turning the area into a haven for bad eggs.
Attah regretted that some of the unauthorised structures in the area were hideouts for drug dealers and suspected criminals that terrorise mostly Maitama and Asokoro residents in the city.
“We came here today to attack the triple illegalities associated with squatter settlements, the criminals’ den inside the cashew plantation in Gishiri, where we recovered cocaine and other hard drugs.
“Although there were tears and lamentations, we are not done yet as we are just getting warm up in Gishiri, and this is the first time the bulldozers came into Gishiri, since the days of Mallam Nasiru Ahmed El-rufai as FCT Minister.
“The team from Development Control is firing from all cylinders, even as those of us who are political appointees are going, we are sure that when we leave, the team on ground is set to continue the city clean up exercise,” he said.
The Director, the Department of Development Control, Murkhtar Galadima, after the demolition, said that the exercise, which was the mother of all demolitions, was to rid the city of illegal structures.
“The clean-up exercise is to rid the city of illegal structures. When you see demolition like, this is because of the magnitude of illegal structures in this particular area. Over 10 years ago, we have been marking and removing (structures), but no headway. But today, we got a headway.
“This area is a water pipeline corridor coming from lower Usman Dam to various tanks in town. Some of the buildings are on flood plain. This demolition is (the) mother of all demolitions because it contains everything. Any land that is not approved by Development Control is illegal, and therefore, will be removed,” he said.
Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (middle); Chairman, National Governing Board of NYSC, Amb. Fatima Bala-Abubakar (right); Director General, NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Yusha’u (left), inspecting SAED Exhibition during the commissioning of NYSC Ultra-Modern ICT Building in Abuja on Wednesday.Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (right), inspecting SAED Exhibition during the commissioning of NYSC Ultra-Modern ICT Building in Abuja on Wednesday. With him are: Director General, NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Yusha’u (left) and others.
The Federal Government, on Wednesday, maintained that academic activities of the proposed African Aviation and Aerospace University will commence in September 2023.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this while signing the MoU with Nile University, on behalf of the Federal Government.
Nigerian Anchor reports that this is the second time the Federal Government would be making the announcement.
Last year, Sirika had announced that the African Aviation and Aerospace University will commence registration for the 2022/2023 academic session on September 26 to November 18, 2022.
Sirika, while signing the MoU in Abuja, said the university will help address the research and development gaps in the aviation sector, adding that it will begin academic activities offering BSc courses in Aviation Business and Meteorology.
He also mentioned that the university has hired its management staff and created an academic brief while noting that there are plans to privatise the university in the future for greater effectiveness.
“The university ought to have happened a long time ago because it is part of our roadmap in 2016 that was approved by the president and this is just to go straight into research and development in civil aviation and aerospace and of course environmental sciences.
“This university has received attention all over the world. The first of its kind in Africa and by the grace of God, it would be one of the top universities in the world. I’m also very sure that we may even go into aviation medicine in the near future.
“It is dedicated to those core mandates of aerospace aviation and environmental sciences. It is intended to attend to the huge demands we have in this sub-region of ours and indeed continentally especially as Africa is looking to unite, integrate and become one entity in all fields and human endeavours.
“I’m happy to say that the academic brief has been developed, the management staff have been employed and of course, it will be governed by the Federal Government but will be owned and operated by the private sector through PPP arrangement.
“I’m sure in the long run, it will end up being truly private sector but the government needs to ground it fully to ensure that the take-off does not suffer any hitch.
“The university will run both physical and online courses. These days, universities are turning virtual and we will begin with the B.Sc. Aviation Business and B.Sc. Meteorology and of course, continue to grow. Also, not too far from now, we will be getting approval from NUC to commence Master of Science in Aviation Management.
“Nile will provide support for the undergraduate programme for the first two years and it is expected that more research and collaboration will be established between the AAAN and NUN,” he said.
Operators of bike riders popularly called ‘Okada’ on Tuesday night lynched two bike snatchers who stabbed a rider to death in Jikwoyi, a suburb in Abuja.
Nigerian Anchor learnt from some residents that the incident happened between 9pm and 10pm at the Jikwoyi Extension III (popularly called Dagbadna) area of the community.
The Okada rider was said to be carrying the two men from Phase II Junction to an area of the Jikwoyi Extension III, where there is a mission hospital called Cornelian Hospital.
When they got to the area, which is usually lonely, the two men told the okada rider to stop them.
It was at that point that they began to struggle with him, in an attempt to snatch his bike from him.
When they could not forcefully overpower him to snatch the okada from him, they opted to stab him severally to weaken him.
Having succeeded in taking the bike from him, they left him bleeding on the ground, and drove away.
Luckily for the badly wounded okada rider, some of his colleagues found him, and he narrated what happened to him, before they rushed him to a nearby hospital.
His colleagues went to the Mai Angwa Vigilante to report the incident, and the vigilante group quickly went after the thieves.
After combing the bush for about 30 minutes, they found them, with the okada, and arrested them.
The badly stabbed okada rider, however, died in the hospital, after some minutes.
The sad news infuriated the other okada riders, who stormed the Mai Angwa Vigilante post, overpowered the vigilante group, dragged out the thieves, and beat them to death.
Nigerian Anchor’s efforts to get the Mai Angwa speak on the matter was abortive, as he was not in his home office.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has condemned the attack on the motorcade of staff of United States (US) Consulate in Nigeria by gunmen in Ogabru Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra which left four people dead.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack in a statement by the ministry’s Spokesperson, Francisca Omayuli, on Wednesday in Abuja.
The government commiserated with the families of the deceased, assuring them that an investigation had already begun with a view to identifying the perpetrators and bringing them to book.
“The Federal Government received with dismay the sad news of the attack on the convoy of the staffers of the U.S. Consulate on May 16, 2023 in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
“The unfortunate incident, which led to the death of two policemen and two staff of the consulate, is condemnable and most regrettable.
“While the investigation to fish out the culprits and bring them to book is ongoing the federal government extends its sympathy and condolences to the families of the deceased as well as to the United States Consulate and Mission in Nigeria over the unfortunate incident.
“The Federal Government remains undaunted by this sad development and reiterates its commitment to the continued fight against all forms of crime and criminality in the country.”
A 44- year-old woman, Oluwatoyin Falade, on Wednesday prayed to an Orile Agege Customary Court to dissolve her 11-year-old marriage on grounds of infidelity on the part of her husband, Segun.
The petitioner, who lives at 23, Tunde Davids Close, Agege, Lagos has two children for Segun, ages, eight and 11.
“My husband is a flirt, he runs after anything in skirt.
”I had two girls before I married him and those girls are 15 and 18. They stay with me and I don’t trust my husband because he chases everything in skirt.
“My husband changes women anyhow and he doesn’t respect me. If the court doesn’t dissolve the union, I will run away with my kids,” she burst to tears.
Oluwatoyin said that people mock her in the neighborhood because of her husband’s infidelity.
” I am fed up, Segun cannot change, chasing after women and ladies has become the order of the day for him,” she said.
She alleged that he doesn’t take care of her and the children.
In his response, Segun, 46, a Lagos State Judiciary worker, admitted to infidelity.
“I will not lie, I bring in different women to the house but I am ready to change. I have been begging her to please forgive me,” he said.
He said he takes care of the children and his wife.
“My Lord, you can see that my wife is robust and fresh. It is obvious that she is not suffering.
“I bought her a phone recently and I pay the children’s school fees,” he said.
Segun said that he was not ready for the dissolution and promised to make things right if given another chance.
The Court’s President, Mr Adewale Adegoke, told both parties to be at peace with each other.
Adegoke adjourned the case until May 30 for alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
Gunmen have killed over 30 persons in Bwoi District of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau, DSP Alfred Alabo confirmed in a statement.
Alabo said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Bartholomew Onyeka, who described the incident as unfortunate has directed immediate deployment of armed personnel to the area.
”The commissioner of police expressed sadness over the unfortunate incident that has claimed the lives of yet-to-be-identified persons from various villages within the area.
”At about 11:56 p.m. on Tuesday, we received a distress call from one of our Police officers in charge of Tanknale village of Mangu, that some gunmen were shooting sporadically in a nearby village.
”The commissioner immediately mobilised all assets in the command to the scene to ensure that the suspects are arrested and brought to book.
”Further information from the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), ACP Bawa Sale, who was also present at the scene, reveals that with help from other security agencies in the command, the hoodlums were chased away,” he said.
He explained that due to the superior firepower of the security personnel, the hoodlums abandoned four motorcycles, a Sharon vehicle, and some items used for their nefarious activities.
”As we speak, the culprits are on the run while our officers are still on their trail with the aim to ensure that they are neutralized and arrested,” he added.
Alabo maintained that the commissioner of police has called on residents of the area to remain peaceful adding that security agencies have modalities available to stop the criminals.
He also called on the residents with useful information to avail it to the security agencies for prompt action.
The Federal Government has warned members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to shelve their planned five-day warning strike.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, gave the warning on Tuesday in Abuja, shortly after receiving the letter of notification from the NARD executive on the planned strike.
Ngige said this in a statement signed by Mr Olajide Oshundun, Director, Press and Public Relations in the ministry while the planned strike as illegal.
The impending industrial action is billed to begin by midnight of May 16.
Ngige who was reacting to the letter, delivered to his office at about 5pm same day, said he contacted the Minister of Health, who informed him that a meeting has been scheduled with the resident doctors on Wednesday.
He therefore advised the doctors to avail themselves of the opportunity for social dialogue with their employer, rather than embark on a warning strike, which is unknown to the law.
According to him, “I will advise them to attend the meeting with the Minister of Health tomorrow. I will also advise them very strongly not to go on a five-day warning strike.
“There is nothing like a warning strike. A strike is a strike. If they want to take that risk, the options are there. It is their decision. They have the right to strike. You cannot deny them that right.
“But their employer has another right under Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, to withhold their pay for those five days. So, if the NARD has strike funds to pay their members for those five days, no problem.
“The Health Minister will instruct the teaching hospitals to employ ad-hoc people for those five days and they will use the money of the people who went on strike to pay the ad-hoc doctors.
“That is the ILO principles at decent work, especially for those rendering essential services. Lives should be protected. One of my sons is a resident doctor, I will advise him to go to work and sign the attendance register,” he said.
He added that, the people seen at work are the ones to receive their pay. If you don’t work, there will be no pay.
On the five demands of the doctors, Ngige said the Federal Government lacks the powers to compel the states to domesticate the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF).
He added that since health is on the residual list, where both the federal and state governments have the powers to legislate.
The minister also stated that the job of the Federal government was to make policy and where the states disagree, they were at liberty to make their own policy.
He noted that the Federal Government cannot bully the states into domesticating the MRTF if they do not want to.
Regarding the issue of immediate payment of the MRTF to their members, he said it was appropriated in the 2023 budget but has not been released, as the 2022 budget was still running, adding that those in 2022 have all been paid.
Ngige denied the claim by NARD that the Federal Government did not pay minimum wage consequential adjustment arrears to their members.
He added that, all workers in the Education and Health Sectors, and even the defense agencies benefited from the adjustment.
He noted that the doctors cannot declare a nationwide strike because some states were owing their members, pointing out that the federal government cannot also dabble into the issue, being a state matter.
Ngige also said the Federal Government as the Executive arm of government cannot intervene in the bill at the National Assembly to bond doctors for five years, as it is a private member’s bill.
According to him, any intervention by the executive on the matter impinges on the autonomy and independence of the legislative arm of government.
Ngige noted that the bill has passed through first and second reading, he was sure it would be shot down at the public hearing, since the law prohibits forced labour.
He advised the doctors not to talk about 200 per cent pay rise, as it was not feasible.
“Besides all the government has done for doctors and other workers in the health sector, such as upward review of hazard allowances, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) was already negotiating with the Federal Ministry of Health, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and the Presidential Committee on Salaries on pay rise for doctors.
“It is incongruous for student doctors to embark on strike when consultants training them were already negotiating with the Federal Government,” he said
