Featured post

Rising Pastoral Crisis: 11 States Back FG’s Ranching Plan Amid Escalating Tensions

-
Image
The growing pastoral crisis in Nigeria continues to threaten national cohesion, food security, and rural livelihoods. As herder-farmer conflicts escalate across the country, particularly in the Middle Belt and parts of the North-West, the federal government’s renewed push for ranching as a long-term solution is gaining traction. So far, 11 states have declared support for the ranching initiative, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s efforts to modernize livestock farming and reduce bloodshed. The pastoral conflict, rooted in land use competition, environmental degradation, and weak enforcement of grazing policies, has taken a heavy toll. Thousands of Nigerians have lost their lives, communities have been displaced, and farming activities in affected regions have dwindled drastically. With open grazing becoming increasingly untenable in modern Nigeria, ranching is being viewed not only as a practical agricultural reform but also a peace-building strategy. States such...
Post a Comment

Nigerian blogger Olufunke 'Angels Empire' Afeh is set to appear in court on April 8 following her recent arrest and detention in connection with allegations of cyberstalking and harassment.

-

 

Legal troubles are on the horizon for blogger and philanthropist Olufunke Afeh, famously known as Angels Empire. Her forthcoming arraignment at the Federal High Court in Lagos on April 8 has garnered public interest regarding the details of her arrest, extended detention, and eventual release on bail.

On February 19, 2025, SaharaReporters brought to light that the police had leveled 11 charges against Afeh, accusing her of various offenses, including cyberstalking and harassment of multiple individuals, notably Mr. Obidi Anthony and his daughters, Nancy Ume and Korra Obidi.

The Angels Empire Foundation reported that Afeh was taken into custody on February 6, 2025, in Abuja. She had responded to a deceptive phone call from the Nigerian Police, which involved a false allegation of phone theft. 

Once at the police station, Afeh was swiftly detained at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Abuja, where she was denied access to legal representation, and her mobile devices were confiscated, leaving her without any means of communication.

According to the Foundation, the lack of clarity surrounding her detention appeared to be a calculated effort by the authorities to prevent her from obtaining legal help and social support. However, prior to her visit to the police station, Afeh had informed her online followers through a video about the suspicious call she received, prompting her family and legal team to take immediate action.

Despite their attempts, her lawyers faced significant obstacles when dealing with the police, receiving limited information about her case and finding themselves barred from seeing their client.

**Forced Transfer from Abuja to Lagos**

On February 8, after being held for 48 hours, officers from Lagos arrived in Abuja and forcibly transported Afeh to Lagos, without allowing her the opportunity to inform her lawyers or her eight-year-old daughter. At that moment, her whereabouts were unknown.

Upon her arrival in Lagos, Afeh was pressured to make statements without the presence of her legal representatives, reportedly under duress. It wasn't until February 10 that she was finally able to consult with a lawyer, who then started discussions about securing her bail.

Despite attempts to expedite her release, the authorities prolonged the legal process. Six days after her arrest, on February 12, Afeh appeared before a Lagos magistrate court, where the police sought to extend her remand period. She was ultimately granted bail on February 19, yet remained incarcerated at Kirikiri Maximum Prison until her bail conditions were fulfilled.

“Prolonged confinement is a violation of international law and Nigerian law. In Nigeria, the legal limit for time spent in custody is 24-48 hours but Angel was in custody for an extended period of time without a trial!” the Foundation said.

“Furthermore, Angel’s fundamental human rights were grossly violated by denying her access to an attorney, by not giving her food or water in Abuja (and also not allowing her to buy food for herself).”

The Foundation has reported that Afeh's arrest was triggered by a complaint from Nancy Umeh, the sister of social media figure Korra Obidi, who accused her of cyberstalking and making threats to her life.

Many observers interpret this move as an effort to silence Afeh for her candid blogging. Critics are alarmed by the possibility that law enforcement has been utilized to settle personal grievances, which raises serious questions about corruption in the Nigerian police force.

**Upcoming Legal Battle**

Afeh is set to appear at the Federal High Court in Lagos on April 8, with further hearings anticipated. What began as a civil dispute has escalated into a significant clash with law enforcement, now officially involving the Inspector General.

Activists and legal analysts view this prosecution as a troubling infringement on freedom of expression, referencing Section 39 of Nigeria's Constitution and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

Numerous human rights organizations, media figures, and legal advocates have come together to support Afeh, condemning the way her case has been managed as a breach of essential democratic values. Many are convinced that her prolonged detention is a strategic effort to silence her, causing distress not only to her but also to her family, especially her young daughter.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Anambra Boutique Owner Sues NAFDAC Over Claimed Theft of Merchandise During Onitsha Drug Market Operation

-
Image
  Sophia Eberechukwu Okoye, a young entrepreneur from Anambra State, who owns a boutique in Onitsha, has taken legal action against the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). She claims that soldiers allegedly deployed by the agency looted her store during a raid at the Onitsha drug market, popularly known as Ogbo Ogwu. In a notice of legal action issued by her legal representative, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor of I. C. Ejiofor & Co. law firm, Ms. Okoye is seeking N22 million in compensation, which she asserts is the verified value of the goods taken from her shop. Reports indicate that Ms. Okoye expressed her distress after losing goods valued at over N15 million due to the purported looting by the soldiers. Her boutique, which had opened just a few months prior, was one of many shops that were reportedly broken into and ransacked during the operation. Sources reveal that the thieves stole clothes, shoes, and other valuable items from the boutique, le...
Read more

"Kano girls, having been married off from an orphanage, face abandonment by their husbands and endure abuse, as they are now forced to seek assistance to survive."

-
Image
The Nassarawa orphanage home in Kano is a refuge for abandoned children, many of whom have been found on the streets, lost due to the tragic loss of their parents or left behind after accidents. For years, the Kano State Government has played a crucial role in supporting the orphanage by providing food, clothing, and education until these children reach adulthood. As they grow up, the boys often find work in government positions or venture into entrepreneurship, while the girls are generally married off to suitors interested in them. Since the orphanage’s inception, hundreds of girls have entered into marriage, but some women have shared their struggles with DAILY POST, expressing feelings of abandonment after their husbands divorced them. They often endure abuse and mistreatment, facing significant challenges in seeking help or reporting their situations. Hadiza Muhammad, 40, and Halima Muhammad, 45, are among those who have suffered through domestic abuse for over twenty years of mar...
Read more

Benin Republic, Niger enjoy smuggled fuel as Nigerians keep vigil at petrol stations

-
Image
While numerous Nigerians are keeping vigil at filling stations to fuel their vehicles, drivers in the adjoining nations of Benin Republic and Niger are getting a charge out of fuel snuck from Nigeria, a Saturday PUNCH examination has shown. Our journalists, who visited the two nations found that the snuck petroleum was being sold by dark advertisers, whose rates were less expensive than those working in filling stations. Discoveries show that drivers frequently belittle the dark advertisers on the grounds that their rates are less expensive than the people who purchase from the filling stations. Saturday PUNCH accumulated the higher worth of cefas (CFA) to naira made the Nigerian snuck fuel alluring to residents of the two nations. Nigeria is seeing the fifth significant fuel emergency since President Bola Tinubu accepted office on May 29, 2023, following his expulsion of the fuel appropriation. The evacuation prompted a sharp ascent in fuel costs, causing alarm purchasing, far and wid...
Read more