A massive power outage across Spain caused widespread panic on Monday, with customers rushing to withdraw cash from banks and crowds filling the streets in a futile attempt to get a mobile signal.
Carlos Condori, one of millions affected in Spain and Portugal, was travelling on the Madrid metro when the blackout brought his journey to an abrupt halt.
“The lights went out, and the train stopped,” said the 19-year-old construction worker, adding that the train eventually crawled into the station.
“People were stunned because this had never happened in Spain,” he continued. “There’s no phone coverage, I can’t call my family, my parents—nothing. I can’t even go to work.”
People board commuter buses outside the Atocha train station in Madrid after its closure as a massive power outage hits Spain on April 28, 2025. Power went out across all of Spain and Portugal today, cutting cellphone and internet networks, halting trains and trapping people in elevators, officials said. The operator, Red Electrica, said it would likely take six to 10 hours to restore power in the country and urged people not to speculate as to the cause of the outage. (Photo by Thomas COEX / AFP)
At Cibeles Square, one of Madrid’s busiest areas, the failure of traffic lights led to a chaotic scene of sirens, whistles, and car horns as police tried to control the traffic jam.
Bewildered office workers stood in the streets with their computers useless without an internet connection, while others were relieved not to have been trapped in lifts.
Marina Sierra, disoriented and trying to contact her father, was looking for a way home after her school was shut.
“The building we were in was giving off smoke, so they had to evacuate us quickly… I’m shocked because everything is totally out of control,” said the 16-year-old student.
‘Not the End of the World’
Transport chaos also gripped Spain’s second-largest city, Barcelona, as locals and tourists flooded the streets, desperate for information.
Student Laia Montserrat, who lives an hour outside Barcelona, was in the middle of a presentation when the blackout hit her school, leaving her in a difficult situation.
“As the internet wasn’t coming back, they told us to go home, but there were no trains either,” Laia said. “Now we don’t know what to do.”
Leonor Abecasis, visiting Barcelona from Portugal, was in a shop when the power went out.
“We’re waiting for the electricity to come back,” said the 27-year-old consultant. She admitted she was “a little” worried about her return flight to Lisbon later that day.
In Madrid, Pilar Lopez tried to put the confusion and panic of her colleagues into perspective as they fretted about the food left in their freezers.
“We’ve suffered a pandemic; I don’t think this is worse,” said the 53-year-old higher education administrator. “It’s like anything— you get used to it and start to think that this isn’t the end of the world.”
For Lopez, the widespread chaos offered a valuable lesson: “Maybe we should go back to basics and not depend so much on electricity for certain things.”
She added, “I can’t even pay because my mobile isn’t working. Sometimes you have to be a bit more analogue; this proves it.”
The White House announced Monday a crackdown on “sanctuary cities” that defy Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies, as the president closes in on his first 100 days in office.
Trump’s spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the administration would name and shame cities accused of blocking efforts to protect “American communities from criminal aliens.”
The Republican leader will sign an executive order later Monday directing officials to publish a list of “jurisdictions that obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws,” she told reporters.
The announcement came with Trump celebrating major progress in honoring his election campaign promises to stem illegal border crossings from Mexico.
The figures soared to all-time highs under Trump’s Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, and the Republican won the White House in part on promises to combat what he repeatedly claimed was an invasion of criminal migrants.
But Trump’s popularity has since plunged in the polls, with more than 40 percent of Americans saying they “disapprove strongly” of him, according to a Washington Post-ABC survey.
On Monday he suggested pollsters and news organizations should be sued for fraud over the “fake news.”
Trump will this week be hailing his achievements in his first 100 days, claiming successes on the economy, foreign policy and government efficiency as well as on migration.
Leavitt noted a 95 per cent drop in encounters of undocumented migrants at the Mexico border — from 140,000 to 7,000 — in the 12 months from March 2024, when Biden was still in office.
“America’s borders are now secure because of President Trump,” she said. “He has restored the rule of law, enforced our immigration laws and defended America’s sovereignty.”
Trump’s election campaign rhetoric about taking on the alleged hordes of rapists and murderers resonated with voters concerned about illegal immigration.
As part of the drive to deliver on his pledges, Republicans are targeting “sanctuary cities,” which typically prohibit local officials from telling federal agents about undocumented immigrants if they are at risk of deportation.
The Democratic mayors of four major cities — Boston, Chicago, Denver and New York — were hauled over the coals in Congress in March over what Republicans called “pro-criminal” immigration policies.
All four cities have struggled to cope with a huge influx of migrants crossing from Mexico.
Trump has also sent troops to the Mexican border, imposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada for allegedly not doing enough to stop illegal crossings and designated gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS-13 as terrorist groups.
But he has butted heads with judges, rights groups, and Democrats who say he has ignored constitutional rights in rushing to deport migrants, sometimes without the right to a hearing.
Under Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act — previously seen only during war time — migrants have been accused of gang membership and sent to El Salvador without going before a judge or being charged with a crime.
Trump has also repeatedly said he would be open to sending American citizens convicted of violent crimes to the notorious El Salvador prison, CECOT, outside San Salvador.
Tom Homon, Trump’s point man on border security, told reporters Monday that “we have the most secure border in the history of this nation.”
Homon was asked about deportation rates, which have lagged behind Biden’s numbers, despite Trump’s promised campaign of the largest mass removal campaign in US history.
The government has not been releasing comprehensive data, but the Migration Policy Institute said it appeared on track to deport roughly half a million people this year — fewer than the 685,000 deportations recorded in 2024 under Biden.
Homon argued that comparisons were bogus since Biden’s deportation numbers included people removed at the border, and most of those people were now being stopped before getting in.
Music streaming giant Spotify said Monday it had paid out more than $100 million to creators of audio and video podcasts in the first quarter of 2025, marking the first time the platform has shared such figures.
The Swedish company generated a revenue of 15.7 billion euros ($17.9 billion) last year.
“For the first time, we’re revealing that Spotify paid out more than $100 million to podcast publishers and podcasters worldwide in the first quarter of 2025 alone,” the company said in a statement.
“This figure reflects our deep commitment to the creator economy and underscores Spotify’s position as a leading platform for audio and video creators alike,” it added.
Spotify’s payments include “ad-based revenue and revenue generated through the Spotify Partner Program, which launched earlier this year in select markets” and provides content creators with more ways to monetise their content, the streaming giant said.
Spotify first began offering non-music audio and video content on its service in 2015.
It has since accelerated its investment in podcasts in and in 2019 it acquired prominent podcast producer Gimlet Media.
The Swedish platform is due to publish its earnings for the first quarter on Tuesday, having made its first annual net profit, 1.1 billion euros, in 2024.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has announced that starting January 1, 2026, it will begin sanctioning airstrip operators who fail to obtain the required permits.
The Director of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards at the NCAA, Engr. Godwin Balang stated this during a stakeholder engagement programme for airstrip owners and operators held in Lagos on Monday.
The event, themed “Enhancing Safety, Compliance, and Collaboration for Efficient Airstrip Operations,” marked the maiden edition of such an engagement.
According to Balang, Nigeria has a total of 92 airstrips, including operational, non-operational, and those under rehabilitation or construction. However, only a few are currently compliant with safety and regulatory standards.
He said “It may interest this forum to note that as part of our efforts to uphold aviation safety, two of our international airports were recertified late last year, and work is ongoing to certify others.
Balang also said. “Furthermore, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has been informed that, effective January 1, 2026, any local airport under its management operating without valid permits will face sanctions. This is not a threat but a collective resolve to enforce compliance.”
The PUNCH gathered that from the 92 airstrips in the country, 68 are managed by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, while the remaining 24 are owned by private individuals and organisations.
Balang emphasized the need for greater collaboration between the NCAA and the Ministry to define the roles of operators and regulators clearly.
He also announced the NCAA’s intention to develop localized operational guidelines for airstrips, citing the need to adapt regulatory strategies to the evolving aviation landscape.
“Although the term ‘aerodrome’ encompasses airstrips, there is a need for distinct policies tailored to the specific nature of airstrip operations,” he added.
While referring to Section 71 (3) and (4)(a) of the Civil Aviation Act (CAA) 2022, which authorizes the NCAA to certify and issue permits for aerodrome operations and to establish safety standards for their design, operation, and maintenance, Balang stressed that the stakeholder forum aligns with this mandate and seeks to advance airstrip regulation across Nigeria.
Echoing Balang’s remarks, the Director General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo stressed the importance of regulating not just aircraft and personnel, but the entire operational environment.
Najomo said, “Aviation has evolved beyond focusing solely on machines and personnel. A poorly regulated operating environment poses significant risks.
“Global and regional bodies now recognize this reality, prompting us to expand and intensify oversight over all types of aerodromes including airstrips in the interest of safety.”
Najomo also stated that the engagement underscores the agency’s commitment to strengthening oversight, with a focus on airstrip operations.
In a heartwarming and historic show of affection and loyalty, the 88/93 Class Set of the Remo Secondary School Old Students Association (RSSOSA) staged a grand surprise birthday celebration in honor of their own, the National President of RSSOSA, Aare Adetola Emmanuelking.
The event, which took place at the prestigious Marriott Hotel, Lagos, was a spectacular and deeply emotional affair that left the celebrant overwhelmed and moved to tears. Unknown to Aare Adetola, the surprise had been meticulously planned since January of this year, in close collaboration with his wife, who kept the arrangements a secret until the big day.
The celebration was marked by an electrifying atmosphere of joy, laughter, and heartfelt emotions as classmates reunited to honor one of their own in grand style. The 88/93 Set spared no expense, presenting Aare Adetola with gifts worth several million naira.
Adding to the magic of the occasion, members of the 88/93 Set residing in the diaspora joined virtually from the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. Notable among them were Segun Osho, Rev. Fr. Oshitimehin, Sade Odesanya, Akeem Elegbeji, Gboyega Solarin, Johnson Olumuyiwa Sanya, Tope Otunba, Semeton Amosu, Yemisi Olowu, Bukky Alli, Bunmi Ojutialayo, Bolaji Desalu, Wasiu Talabi, Azeez Awolaja, Jimmy Adetayo, and Bisoye Sholuade, whose heartfelt participation further heightened the emotional resonance of the event.
The success of the surprise was largely credited to the tireless efforts and leadership of the Class Set Governor, Engr. Bola Owolabi Oladeinde, whose commitment, coordination, and attention to detail ensured a seamless and unforgettable celebration.
In his heartfelt appreciation speech, a visibly emotional Aare Adetola expressed profound gratitude to every member of the class set, describing the surprise as one of the most touching and humbling experiences of his life.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that such an elaborate and deeply moving celebration awaited me,” he said. “You have honored me beyond words, and I am eternally grateful. May God bless and replenish each of you for your sacrifices, generosity, and steadfast love.
Aare Adetola appreciated his wife for her support and for keeping the surprise a secret with such admirable dedication.”
The event was a powerful reaffirmation of enduring friendship, unity, and loyalty. The 88/93 Set of RSSOSA once again demonstrated that true brotherhood and sisterhood only grow richer and deeper with time, setting a remarkable example for alumni associations everywhere.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have uncovered a major drug cartel operating under the cover of an 80-room hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, seizing illicit substances valued at over N1bn during a raid.
NDLEA agents, between Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26, stormed the five-storey hotel, operating as The Hook Hotel, Caesar Hotel, and Caesar Lounge at 16 Waziri Ibrahim Street.
A statement on Sunday by the NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi said the raid led to the recovery of 589 bags of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis weighing 417.3 kilograms and worth N1,042,500,000 in street value.
Babafemi said three suspects: Eze Ayitu, Ofuokwu Samuel, and Emmanuel Ameh were arrested during the operation, while two others, Noble Philip and his partner Kenneth, remain at large.
“Items suspected to be proceeds of illicit drug trade recovered from the premises housing The Hook Hotel also known as Caesar Hotel and Caesar Lounge located at 16 Waziri Ibrahim Street, off Elsie Femi Pearse Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, include: Toyota Prado Landcruiser Jeep (Lagos AKD 472 OZ); Toyota Sienna Vehicle (Lagos KJA 79 HJ); Volkswagen Delivery Van (Lagos AAA 525 JE); Kia Ceranto Car (Lagos BDG 860 GQ); Grand Caravan Dodge (Lagos APP 847 YF); 74 new TV sets; 10 used TV sets; and 13 refrigerators, among others, “ he added.
In another operation, he said, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence on Wednesday, April 23, seized consignments of opioids being moved from Kano to the Niger Republic and Yobe state through Jigawa.
“The psychoactive substances were being moved in a Toyota Sienna vehicle marked ABJ 182 NW at about 2:30 am on Wednesday along Kano- Ringim road, Gumel town, when anti-narcotic officers on patrol intercepted them with two suspects: c 28, and Shuaibu Umar, 29 arrested.
Recovered from the Sienna vehicle were 200,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 217,500 capsules of pregabalin. A swift follow-up operation in Kano led to the arrest of the supplier, 41-year-old Jamilu Muhammad, at his residence located at Mil Tara, Layin Technical area of Kano while an additional 1,584,000 pills of tramadol 250mg stacked inside a Nissan 18-seater bus marked DAL 372 XA and a room in his house were discovered and evacuated. This brings the total number of the recovered opioids to 2,001,500 pills, “ he added.
Babafemi stated that barely a week after NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation uncovered 20 parcels of cocaine concealed inside religious books going to Saudi Arabia at a logistics company in Lagos, the operatives have again intercepted another shipment of 46 wraps of cocaine weighing 547grams hidden in body cream going to the Middle East country.
“The seizure was made on Wednesday, April 23 at a courier firm in Lagos.
“Another consignment intercepted the same day includes: 1.8kg pentazocine injection and 60 grams bromazepam tablets heading to Canada, “ he added.
At another operation in the Seme border area, Babafemi said three Ghanaian ladies were arrested with drugs.
He said, “At the Seme border area of Badagry, Lagos, three Ghanaian ladies were on Sunday 20th April arrested at the Gbaji checkpoint by NDLEA operatives while attempting to smuggle a combined 4.8 kilograms of Ghana Loud, a strong strain of cannabis into Nigeria. The suspects arrested include: Haziza Zubairu, 42; Samirat Mustapha, 43; and Jamila Salifu, 26.”
Canada elects a new government on Monday to confront annexation threats from the United States and deal directly with President Donald Trump, whose trade war has defined the campaign.
The Liberal Party, led by new Prime Minister Mark Carney, looked set to lose easily to the Conservatives’ Pierre Poilievre until the US president’s attacks on the country sparked a sudden reversal in poll forecasts.
Carney, 60, has never held elected office and only replaced Justin Trudeau as prime minister last month. He had a lucrative career as an investment banker before serving as the central bank governor in both Canada and Britain.
Carney has argued his global financial experience has prepared him to guide Canada’s response to Trump’s tariffs.
He has also promised to revitalise internal trade and expand Canada’s economic opportunities abroad to cut reliance on the United States, a country Carney says “we can no longer trust.”
The United States under Trump “wants to break us, so they can own us,” he has warned repeatedly through the campaign.
“We don’t need chaos, we need calm. We don’t need anger, we need an adult,” Carney said in the campaign’s closing days.
Poilievre, a 45-year-old career politician, has tried to keep the focus on domestic concerns that made Trudeau deeply unpopular toward the end of his decade in power, especially soaring living costs.
The Tory leader has argued Carney would bring a continuation of what he calls “the lost Liberal decade,” arguing that only a new Conservative government can take action against crime, housing shortages and other non-Trump issues Canadians rank as priorities.
“You cannot handle another four years of this,” he said over the weekend.
Poilievre has critiqued Trump, but insisted ten years of poor Liberal governance had left Canada vulnerable to a newly hostile United States.
– ‘A good pick’ –
Final polls indicate a tight race but put Carney as the favourite.
Surveys have also consistently shown voters view the ex-central banker as the best candidate to deal with Trump.
Jeff Sims, who lives in Quebec near Canada’s capital Ottawa, said he believes Carney has “the pedigree” to be prime minister.
“Two central banks under his belt, I think that’s a good pick,” the 46-year-old told AFP on Sunday.
At a weekend Conservative rally in the battleground city of Oakville, west of Toronto, Janice Wyner rejected the notion that Carney marked a departure from Trudeau.
Trudeau’s “policies stunk and it’s the same party,” she told AFP.
“Canada is just in a mess. I’m 70 years old. It’s not even a country that I recognise and I’m worried for my grandkids.”
Like many voters, Nadine Sokol, a 41-year-old who also lives near Ottawa, listed “the threat coming from the US” as her “number one issue.”
– Historic turnaround –
If the Liberals win, it would mark one of the most of dramatic turnarounds in Canadian political history.
On January 6, the day Trudeau announced he would resign, the Conservatives led the Liberals by more than 20 points in most polls, and Poilievre looked on track to be Canada’s next prime minister.
But Carney replacing Trudeau combined with nationwide unease about Trump transformed the race.
Public broadcaster CBC’s poll aggregator on Sunday put the Liberals’ national support at 42.8 per cent, with the Conservatives at 38.8 per cent.
As with US elections, national polling numbers may not predict a result.
The performance of two smaller parties — the left-wing New Democratic Party (NDP) and the separatist Bloc Quebecois — will be closely watched.
In past elections, strong NDP performances in Ontario and British Columbia, and a good showing by the Bloc in Quebec, have curbed Liberal seat tallies, but polls suggest both smaller parties could be facing a setback.
Nearly 29 million of Canada’s estimated 41 million people are eligible to vote. A record 7.3 million people cast advanced ballots.
In the massive G7 country which spans six times zones, polls open at 8:30 am local time in the Atlantic province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Canadians will elect 343 members of parliament, meaning 172 seats are needed for a majority. The Liberals won a majority in 2015 but have governed with a minority since 2019.
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he wanted Russia’s Vladimir Putin to “stop shooting” in Ukraine and sign a peace deal, one day after the US leader met Ukraine’s president at the Vatican.
Trump, who boasted before his inauguration that he could halt Russia’s invasion of Ukraine within one day, has launched a diplomatic offensive since taking office to halt the fighting.
Those efforts have so far failed to yield any results.
“Well, I want him to stop shooting, sit down, and sign a deal,” Trump said in response to a question on what he wanted from Putin.
Trump was speaking on the tarmac at Morristown airport before boarding Air Force One bound for Washington, having attended the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome on Saturday.
“We have the confines of a deal, I believe, and I want him to sign it,” Trump added, likely referring to a US-proposed peace plan for the more-than-three-year-long conflict in Ukraine.
Trump had met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the funeral, where the two leaders spoke face-to-face for the first time since a disastrous televised meeting in the White House in February.
After their brief talk in St Peter’s Basilica, Trump cast doubt over whether Putin wanted an end to the war, which has devastated swaths of eastern Ukraine and killed tens of thousands of people.
Trump also said on Sunday that he thought Zelensky was ready to give up Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula captured by Russia in 2014, as part of efforts to agree a peace deal.
“Oh, I think so,” said Trump in response to a question on whether he thought Zelensky was ready to “give up” the territory.
Russia, which launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, claimed to have annexed four eastern and southern territories of the war-battered country despite not having full military control over them.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, announced on Sunday that the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain aims to increase local manufacturing of pharmaceutical products in Nigeria to at least 70% by 2030.
In a video shared on X, Pate explained that the initiative also aims to significantly increase the number of full-time employees working in life sciences manufacturing, with the current workforce of approximately 20,000 set to grow by tens of thousands.
The minister also highlighted the establishment of Nigeria’s new pharmaceutical manufacturing training institute, Empower Academy Nigeria, in partnership with Empower Swiss, Geneva.
He emphasised that this step marks a major leap forward in Nigeria’s efforts to localise the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, benefiting the country’s economy and the wider region under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
PVAC, launched as a cornerstone of the Renewed Hope Agenda in October 2023, is under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
In his statement, Pate said, “Only a few days ago, the foremost Swiss academy, the Empower School of Health Geneva, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a regional training hub for pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nigeria, which will be launched very soon. It will be named Empower Academy Nigeria. This historic development would not have been possible without the critical work of the Presidential Initiative to unlock the Healthcare Value Chain.”
He further added, “Since its establishment by the President in October 2023, under the leadership of its National Coordinator, Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, PVAC has led to several high-value investment commitments and has set ambitious goals to increase local manufacturing of pharmaceutical products in Nigeria to at least 70% of locally consumed pharmaceuticals and a large portion of the vaccines we consume by 2030. The initiative also aims to boost the workforce in life sciences manufacturing by tens of thousands, establish at least two plants for biologicals, five new medical supplies and diagnostics platforms, and double Nigeria’s pharmaceutical market share in Africa to at least 15%.”
Pate further revealed that over 70 new healthcare manufacturing companies are currently partnering on 22 large-scale projects, which are in negotiations with international financiers, thanks to the support of PVAC.
He acknowledged the contributions of his colleagues, Minister Jumoke Oduwole and Minister John Enoh, who are co-leading the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, for their role in facilitating the initiative.
He explained that the Empower Academy Nigeria would address the country’s significant workforce shortfall in areas such as advanced manufacturing, regulatory sciences, and quality assurance.
The academy will deliver state-of-the-art curricula, train sector-specific faculty and students, and assist regulatory authorities like the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control in developing and training on standard operating procedures that will strengthen the sector sustainably.
Pate also pointed out that Nigeria was on track to secure at least €1bn in European Investment Bank financing, alongside $1bn in African Bank financing, to support incoming manufacturers in the health and life sciences sector.
He stated, “This is one of the main reasons why the first focus of the new institution, Empower Academy in Nigeria, is the training of industry professionals on qualitative local drug production in high-demand and high-mobility sectors. Following that, training will be expanded to accommodate knowledge transfer in support of the local production of pharmaceutical excipients, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, and advanced dosage forms such as inhalers, extended-release medications, and dermatological patches.”
Noting that much of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is concentrated in Lagos and Ogun states, Pate said that Empower Academy will be strategically located to promote balanced development across the country, offering mobile training solutions applicable to all regions.
He added, “With a mandate and capacity to train and upskill thousands of professionals annually, underpinned by cutting-edge equipment and world-class facilities, Empower Academy in Nigeria will advance best practices in process engineering, regulatory compliance, quality control, environmental monitoring, business management, entrepreneurship, supply chain and distribution, as well as customer support.”
Pate revealed that Empower Academy Nigeria will offer certification courses in partnership with regional bodies and international organisations, including the World Health Organisation, the Africa Centres for Disease Control, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, and the International Federation of Pharmacists. Courses will be taught by trainers with 10 to 20 years of experience.
The effectiveness of the institution will be measured by key performance indicators aligned with global best practices.
He also noted that, as part of the Memorandum of Understanding with Empower School of Health in Geneva, there will be significant co-investment in the establishment of Empower Academy Nigeria, with additional grants expected from other partners.
Pate concluded by emphasising that Nigeria is charting a new path for other nations to follow in providing end-to-end solutions for pharmaceutical and biological manufacturing.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to empowering professionals and advancing the nation’s pharmaceutical capabilities.
He said, “This is a Nigerian renaissance in full motion and in real time, and this administration is driving tangible improvements to empower all Nigerians so that we all become the change we have always sought. I thank you for keeping faith with the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and I assure you that our nation’s commitment to uplifting the well-being of our people and growing our national economy through the health sector is resolute.”
An Ondo State Magistrate Court, sitting in Akure has ordered the remand of two men, Adebowale Adegboye, and Idowu Akinseye in prison custody for allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl (name withheld).
While Adegboye is the father of the victim, Akinseye is her stepfather.
The duo were alleged to have had carnal knowledge of the victim at different times in Akure, the state capital before they were arrested by the men of the state police command.
Also, a medical doctor, Israel Ojo, who allegedly aborted the pregnancy for the victim, was arrested and charged to court alongside the other two defendants.
The specific accusation against the victim’s father and doctor read, “That you, Adebowale Adegboye and Israel Oluwafemi Ojo, on the same date, time and place at the aforementioned Magisterial district, did unlawfully procure abortion for the victim and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 230 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol.1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria.”
Both Adegboye and Akinseye were charged and arraigned before the court on five counts of charges concerning incest, abortion and indecent assault, while the medical doctor was charged with abortion.
The charge sheet sighted on Sunday read, “That you, Adebowale Adegboye ‘m’, on December 15, 2024, at about noon in Akure, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did commit incest by unlawfully having carnal knowledge of your biological daughter (name withheld), and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 25 (a) of the Ondo State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2021.
“That you, Adebowale Adegboye ‘m’ on December 15, 2024, on the same day, time and place in Akure, within the jurisdiction of the honourable court did have unlawful carnal knowledge of your daughter and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol.1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.
“That you Adegboye Adebowale, Ayoola Ogunkolade and Israel Oluwafemi Ojo, on January 20, 2025, at about noon in Akure within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court did conspire to commit felony to wit: procurement of abortion and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol.1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.
Furthermore, the stepfather Akinseye was accused of caressing the victim’s body as well as inserting his left finger in the girl’s vagina, thereby unlawfully having carnal knowledge of the girl.
“That you, Idowu Akinseye ‘m’, sometime in the year 2019 at several times at Alade Idanre Magisterial District did unlawfully and indecently deal with your stepdaughter, aged 10 years, as at the time the offence was committed by caressing her body and inserting your left finger in her vagina without her consent, after which you unlawfully had carnal knowledge of her and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 222 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”
In her ruling, the Magistrate, Mrs Grace Alphonso, ordered that the defendants should be remanded in a correctional centre facility pending legal advice from the state Director of Public Prosecution.
She adjourned the case to May 22, 2025, for a hearing.
