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Child Abuse Case: NAPTIP Says Parents Backing Pastor Require Counselling

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Nwamaka Ikediashi, an official of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Rivers State, stated that parents of some minors who were brutally flogged by a pastor during a so-called “spiritual cleansing” exercise require counselling.

 

Ikediashi stated this on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Friday during an update on the incident and actions taken by the agency.

She said, “It is a total case of child abuse, and the parents are victims, and they are supposed to be made to understand the implications of this whole thing, and that can only be made possible via counseling.”

The pastor identified as Ifediorah Joseph in Rivers State was arrested by the police for flogging children during a three-day programme under the guise of “spiritual cleansing”.

Following the pastor’s arrest, some of the children and their parents appeared at the police station in Port Harcourt, singing and dancing to show solidarity with the pastor.

The parents insisted that they gave full consent to the pastor to carry out the spiritual act on their children.

“My daughter was among the children that was purified. The message was that death was in the air, and they should purify the children. They did the purification with pigeon blood, water and palm fruit,” one of the parents of the abused children told journalists.

However, the NAPTIP official said the parents involved need counselling. “The parents are victims as well because they do not understand the implications, but if they did understand, they would not let their children be subjected to such inhuman treatment and torture,” she said.

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Falana Declares FG’s House Gifts To Judges Illegal

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Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has slammed the Federal Government over its gifts of houses to judges.

 

Speaking at the Housing TV Africa on Thursday, Falana demanded the provision of the law that stipulated such a gesture.

He charged the Federal Government to also build houses for university professors and other civil and public servants, noting that what is good for the goose is equally good for the gander.

“”We have got to a stage in the country where we have to challenge the special privileges given to the rich and top public officers in the country.

“I was very sad when I saw that the Federal Government was handing over the keys of houses to judges, and I asked myself, ‘Under what law are we operating?’ Because it’s discriminatory and illegal.

“You treat everyone equally in our country. So you can’t take out judges. Judges are entitled to accommodation by the way. They must live comfortably and we’ll secured.

“But, other citizens must be equally provided for. If you don’t do it, you can be challenged, and that is going to happen very soon because what is good for the goose is good for the gander,” he said.

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Ondo: Father Burns Daughter’s Private Part For Bedwetting

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The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a man, Amos Paul, for allegedly burning the private part of his 10-year-old daughter with a hot pressing iron as punishment for bedwetting.

 

The suspect, a resident of Unaun, Upenme in Owo Local Government Area of the state, was arrested after the incident was reported to the police on Thursday.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the child sustained severe burn injuries and was immediately taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, where she is currently receiving treatment.

Jimoh said detectives from the ‘A’ Division in Owo responded swiftly to the report, mobilised to the scene and arrested the suspect without delay.

He disclosed that the case has been transferred to the Command’s Gender Unit for a discreet investigation and further action in line with established procedures.

Condemning the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, CP Felix Ohagwu, described the alleged act as “cruel, inhumane and completely unacceptable.”

He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting children and other vulnerable members of society from abuse, violence and exploitation, assuring that anyone found culpable would be brought to justice.

The police commissioner also urged residents to promptly report cases of child abuse, domestic violence and other related offences to the nearest police station, stressing that public cooperation remains vital in protecting vulnerable persons.

The Command said investigations are ongoing, while the suspect remains in custody pending the outcome of the probe.

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Nigeria Missing As Saudi Arabia Names African Countries Eligible For eVisa

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Saudi Arabia has updated its tourist eVisa programme for 2026, limiting eligibility in Africa to only three countries as part of its list of 66 nations whose citizens can apply through the Kingdom’s online visa platform.

 

The move leaves most African countries, including Nigeria, outside the simplified entry scheme.

The electronic visa allows eligible travellers to visit Saudi Arabia for tourism, leisure activities, family visits and Umrah, excluding the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Applications are completed online, eliminating the need for embassy visits and lengthy visa processing.

Saudi authorities said the eVisa forms part of ongoing efforts to expand tourism, attract international visitors and simplify travel procedures through a fully digital application system. The visa is available only to citizens of approved countries and territories listed on the Kingdom’s official tourism portal.

Below is the list of African countries eligible for Saudi Arabia’s eVisa.

1. Mauritius

2. Seychelles

3. South Africa

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