Crime
Nigeria Police Warn Against “Social Media Verdicts” on Rape Cases
Nigeria Police Warn Against “Social Media Verdicts” on Rape Cases
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, has warned against the growing practice of reaching verdicts on rape allegations through social media before investigations are concluded or cases are determined by the courts.
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Babaseyi made the observation in a Tuesday statement examining the handling of rape allegations, the influence of social media on criminal cases and the treatment of men who report sexual violence.
He said social media had increasingly become a platform where allegations were judged before the police investigated them, evidence was examined or lawyers and courts had the opportunity to test the facts.
“The courtroom now has a competitor. It is called the internet. And sometimes, it is faster than justice. But speed is not the same as truth,” Babaseyi said.
According to him, rape was one of the gravest allegations a person could face and should therefore be treated with seriousness, sensitivity and proper investigation.
He stressed that an allegation should not automatically be treated as a conviction.
Babaseyi said social media could play a positive role by exposing issues that might otherwise remain hidden, encouraging victims to speak, raising public awareness and putting pressure on institutions to act on legitimate complaints.
However, he warned against treating social media posts, videos and screenshots as proof of guilt.
“A post can go viral without being verified, a video can create an impression without providing the complete context, and a screenshot can be genuine and still tell only part of a story, ” the PPRO said.
The police spokesman said investigators had a responsibility to establish facts rather than manufacture guilt or innocence.
He said police investigations involved receiving complaints, protecting complainants, identifying and interviewing relevant persons, preserving evidence, examining digital communications, considering medical or forensic evidence where available, tracing witnesses and testing competing accounts.
“The investigation must be willing to follow the evidence wherever it leads. That is what makes policing credible, not the ability to satisfy the crowd, but the courage to pursue the truth.”
Babaseyi also called for an end to the mockery of men who report rape, saying the gender of a victim should not determine whether their experience was taken seriously.
“A male victim is still a victim. His gender should not make his experience less believable,” Babaseyi said.
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He noted that Nigeria had different legal frameworks governing sexual offences, including the Criminal Code, Penal Code and Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, as well as applicable state laws.
According to him, while the Criminal Code and Penal Code contain provisions traditionally framing rape around male perpetrators and female victims, the VAPP Act uses broader language.
He argued that the Act’s reference to “another person” and “the other person does not consent” meant that men could also be victims of rape under the broader framework.
Babaseyi, however, noted that the applicable law depended on the jurisdiction and legislation in force.
“Rape is not a popularity contest. It is not a gender war, it is not a social-media referendum.”
The police spokesman also stressed that consent should not be assumed because of familiarity, a relationship or previous consensual sexual encounters.
“Knowing someone does not automatically mean consenting to sex.
“Being in a relationship does not automatically mean consenting to every sexual act. A previous consensual encounter does not create permanent consent,” Babaseyi said.
He said members of the public should be able to take allegations seriously without automatically declaring an accused person guilty.
“We can take an allegation seriously without declaring the accused guilty.
That is not contradiction, that is justice,” he said.
Babaseyi urged the public to focus on the truth rather than take sides based on personal preferences.
“Instead of asking: ‘Whose side are you on? Perhaps we should ask, whose side is the truth on?’”
He said justice required both compassion and due process, adding that victims should be protected without abandoning fairness to accused persons.
“Let us therefore create a society where a woman can say, ‘I was raped,’ without being silenced. Where a man can say the same without being mocked.
“Where the accused can say, ‘I am innocent,’ without being convicted by strangers.
Police
“And where the police can investigate without being forced to choose between compassion and impartiality,” Babaseyi advised.
Babaseyi concluded that justice should not be determined by which party the public preferred to believe.
“Because justice is not served when we simply choose the person we prefer to believe.
“Justice is served when we create enough room for the truth to survive the noise,” he said.
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Crime
Alleged $6b Mambilla Power Contract: President Tinubu Hails EFCC for FG’s Victory at Arbitration Tribunal
Alleged $6b Mambilla Power Contract: President Tinubu Hails EFCC for FG’s Victory at Arbitration Tribunal
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed appreciation to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for its investigation of the alleged fraudulent contract award of $6 billion for the construction of 3,960mw Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited, SPTCL.
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The Commission’s investigations were pivotal to the September 17, 2026 victory of the federal government over the contractor company at the International Arbitration Tribunal.
The President in celebration of the federal government’s victory over SPTCL hailed the Commission for its findings in the irregular contract award.
“On behalf of the Government and People of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I strongly commend the tremendous efforts of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi and the entire team at the Federal Ministry of Justice for their efforts in this matter.
“I also commend the FRN defence team, led by Ms Elizabeth Oger-Gross and Mr Tolu Obamuroh, both of Paul Hastings LLP, for their professional and excellent defence of the country.
“I commend the patriotism and support of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and late President Muhammadu Buhari, who testified in the case, which dated back to an illegal 2003 contract to build a 3,050-megawatt hydroelectric plant in Taraba State under a build-operate-transfer model. The Federal Executive Council never authorised the contract.
“I thank the other witnesses in this case, including former Ministers Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, and Suleiman Adamu, and the experts, for their active participation in defending Nigeria’s interest in the arbitration.
“I commend the National Security Adviser for his support and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for its investigation into the case.
“I want to assure you that while our country remains committed to partnering with genuine investors and honouring its legal obligations, it will continue to defend all opportunistic claims instituted against our commonwealth, strongly”
“Today’s ICC ruling clears the single biggest legal hurdle that has paralysed the Mambilla hydro power project for years” he said.
The International Arbitration Tribunal under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce, ICC, Paris, while ruling in favour of the country, rejected the damages of $680 million demanded by SPTCL as a settlement sum and interest in respect of another arbitration in which it is claiming over $2.7 billion in compensation and interest, relating to disputes associated with the construction of the 3960mw Mambila Hydroelectric Power Project in the arbitration instituted by the company against the federal government.
The former minister of power, Olu Agunloye had on May 22, 2003 awarded the project on a Build, Operate and Transfer Basis” to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited, SPTCL.
Investigations by the EFCC established that the former minister awarded the contract without the approval of the National Executive Council, then chaired by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, making such award inconsistent with federal government’s procedure on award of contracts.
Investigations showed that the award was suffused with favouritism as the owner of the company, Leno Adesanya and the former minister are old time pals, who also in August, 2019 caused SPTCL to transfer the sum of N3,600,000.00 (Three Million Six Hundred Thousand Naira) to the former minister’s Guaranty Trust Bank account no.0022530926.
EFCC
These non-standard developments surrounding the contract led to its revocation by the former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government and the subsequent prosecution of the minister on a seven-count charge, bordering on fraudulent award of contract and official corruption by the Commission.
Agunloye’s prosecution subsists since Wednesday, January 10, 2024.
He was arraigned before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja,
SPTCL dragged the federal government to the International Arbitration Tribunal, seeking monetary compensation for the contract the Tribunal established it never awarded in the first place.
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Nigerian Navy Uncovers 119,850 Litres of Suspected Stolen Crude Oil in Rivers
The Nigerian Navy, under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, has uncovered 119,850 litres of crude oil suspected to have been stolen, 350 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 25 parcels of suspected Cannabis sativa at an illegal refining site in Ogbogolo Community, Ahoada West LGA of Rivers State.
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The discovery was made on 17 September 2026 by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH following credible intelligence on the location. The suspected stolen crude oil was found in five dugout pits, while the suspected illegally refined AGO was recovered in six sacks. No arrest was made as the suspects fled on sighting the naval personnel. The recovered products and suspected illicit substances were handled in accordance with extant regulations.
The latest success comes shortly after the conviction of nine crude oil thieves by the Federal High Court in Uyo, following their arrest during a Nigerian Navy-led operation under Operation DELTA SENTINEL. The development highlights the growing impact of the operation, which combines sustained maritime and riverine interdictions with intelligence-led action to disrupt crude oil theft and illegal refining activities across the Niger Delta.
Nigerian Navy
The successive operational gains and successful prosecution of offenders demonstrate the significance of the Nigerian Navy’s sustained efforts under Operation DELTA SENTINEL. Beyond recovering stolen petroleum products, the operation continues to degrade the infrastructure supporting the illicit trade while strengthening the chain from detection and interdiction to prosecution and conviction.
Signed
Abiodun Folorunsho
Navy Captain
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Olukoyede Warns POS Operators to Stop Aiding Fraudsters
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede has warned Point of Sale, PoS operators in the country, to desist from aiding fraudsters and money launderers in perpetrating financial crimes, noting that POS operators have become complicit in the commission of financial crimes, terrorist financing, ransom payments and money laundering.
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He gave the warning on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, when the delegation of the Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria, AMMBAN, led by its National President, Oti Obioha paid a courtesy visit to the Commission`s Headquarters.
Olukoyede, who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Commander of EFCC, CE Michael Nzekwe observed that AMMBAN needed to strengthen itself as it presently lacks the structure and framework to curb financial crimes associated with the business the members do, thus, making it possible for fraudsters to take advantage of their POS machines.
“We have realized that the issues of money laundering, terrorist financing, and even ransom payments are made mostly from POS machines. Your association needs to do more, by coming up with a structure and a comprehensive framework that will have records of all your operators, so that during the course of investigation, we will be able to trace, monitor and have records that can aid us.
My question is, what is the impact of your association on the members? Do you train your members? Do you have records of the address of your members? I think you need to have more awareness and training for your members. There are even some POS operators who are actually fraudsters; they aid, conspire, give out information and abet fraudsters. Most times, in the course of investigation, when you find out that money was laundered through a POS operator, by the time you bring them in, they won’t even know the person who sent the money and who withdrew it-no records of the transactions-and no one is asking questions.
You need to put your house in order and do more,” he said.
The EFCC boss urged the association leaders to task their members on having financial records of every transaction and in having a record of their members across the nation and expressed the readiness of the Commission to work with members of the association in the areas of training, awareness creation and information sharing.
On his part, Obioha appreciated the Commission for granting the association the opportunity for the visit, stating that the activities of the members have a lot of financial implication which will involve close partnership with the EFCC.
“We deem it fit to present ourselves to help and work with the EFCC in preventing money laundering and other kinds of fraud. We are at the grassroots and we observe that your institution is always inviting our members, so we wish we can have a partnership that can see to the training of our members on some of the issues like financial thresholds and the risks involved in some of our operations.
EFCC
So, we are here to help you curb the rate of fraud in the business we do.
“We want to collaborate in the areas of training, because most of our agents don’t know the rules of our operations.
So, we need to partner in creating awareness,” he said.
Eereporter.com
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