Dotun Olad
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has appointed two new service chiefs and Chief of Defence Staff. The appointments were announced on Thursday afternoon by presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati. The new CDS is Vice Admiral O.S. Ibrahim from Kwara State. The new Chief of Air Staff is Air Vice Marshall A.S. Badeh from Adamawa State while the Chief of Naval Staff is Rear Admiral D.J. Ezeoba from Delta State. The incumbent Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. O.A. Ihejirika, from Abia State, retains his position. Jonathan, according to the statement by Abati, thanked the outgoing service chiefs for their meritorious and commendable service to the nation and wished them well in their future endeavours.
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA ? A fifteen year-old-girl, Miss Udoh Comfort, yesterday, narrated before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, how her guardian, one Mr Francis Ekong, 40-years, forcefully slept with her three times and got her pregnant.
Comfort who came to court with her 6-month-old baby, told the court that the man perpetrated the illegal act when his wife was not at home, adding that Ekong threatened to send her back to the village any day he saw her with any boy.
The girl, who mounted the witness box yesterday, told the court that she confronted Ekong upon discovering that she was pregnant, only for the man to blatantly deny responsibility, alleging that she must have slept with one of the boys in their neighborhood.
She said it was at that juncture that somebody took her to the National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Person and Other Related Matters, NAPTIP, a move that culminated to the arrest and subsequent trial of her guardian and his wife.
In a two count charge that was filed before the high court, NAPTIP, alleged that Ekong who resides at Mpape Ajugula Street, FCT, Abuja, ?on or about May 2010, caused the unlawful carnal knowledge of Miss Udoh Comfort (F) 15 years old of Akasoko, while she was under your custody and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 13(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act, 2003 as amended.?
Count-2 of the charge entered against both the man and his wife, reads: ?That you Mr Francis Ekong (M) 40 years old and Mrs Margaret Ekong (F) 30 years old of Mpape Ajugula Street, FCT, Abuja, sometime in 2008, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, employed Miss Udoh Comfort (f) 15 years old of Akasoko as a domestic help and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 22 (1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act, 2003 as amended.?
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