Armed groups operating across Nigeria’s northern and western corridors have adapted faster than the structures designed to contain them. They attack within Nigerian territory, withdraw across borders, and return with renewed capacity. This pattern persists because enforcement has often stopped where the threat does not. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is establishing a different standard. Nigeria will not accept cross-border sanctuary as a condition of its security environment.

This position is best described as the “No Sanctuary Doctrine”. It holds that any territory used to stage or sustain attacks against Nigeria falls within Nigeria’s operational security concern, subject to existing legal frameworks.

Sovereignty is exercised through the protection of citizens and the denial of operational space to hostile actors. Where the threat is transnational, the response must be equally so.

Nigeria already operates within a lawful structure that enables this approach. The Multinational Joint Task Force, established by the Lake Chad Basin Commission and supported by the African Union, provides for coordinated military operations against terrorist groups across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon. Its operational design permits cross-border action under agreed command and rules of engagement. Nigeria has maintained a central leadership role within this force since its reconstitution in 2015. The issue is not the absence of authority, but the need for consistent application and clarity about what that authority covers.

Since 2023, disruptions in regional political order have weakened coordination. Coups in parts of the Sahel have affected intelligence sharing and joint patrol structures. Armed groups have used these gaps to expand movement across the tri-border areas. Nigeria has absorbed the consequences through increased pressure on border communities and critical trade routes. The response cannot depend on the restoration of ideal political conditions. It must proceed within the frameworks that remain in force.

The Tinubu administration has reinforced this framework through targeted bilateral arrangements. In August 2024, Nigeria and Niger concluded a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation to reinforce joint responses to security threats. This reflects a standing recognition across the region that insecurity in border areas is shared and must be addressed through coordinated action. These mechanisms are active instruments of defence and will be used as such.

President Tinubu’s engagement with ECOWAS reflects this position. Nigeria has supported the development of a regional standby force for counter-terrorism and restored financial commitments to the bloc, including over N169 billion in community levy payments between January 2023 and July 2024. A functioning regional mechanism requires both authority and funding. Nigeria has acted on both. This leadership has also been evident in moments of political tension within the sub-region, including its response to the attempted coup in the Benin Republic, where Nigeria’s diplomatic and security engagement contributed to stabilising the situation without escalation. This approach reinforces Nigeria’s role as a responsible security anchor in West Africa.

The “No Sanctuary Doctrine” establishes a measurable standard for policy execution. It removes ambiguity from Nigeria’s response to cross-border insecurity.

At the continental level, Nigeria has aligned diplomacy with operational capacity. At the African Union summit in February 2025, Nigeria supported the renewal of the Multinational Joint Task Force mandate and the upgrade of the National Counter Terrorism Centre to a Regional Counter Terrorism Centre. Nigeria also entered into a Strategic Sea Lift Services agreement with the African Union to support peace operations, disaster response, and humanitarian logistics. Within this broader continental architecture, there is also scope for deeper South-South collaboration within the region. ECOWAS can further improve its counter-terrorism ecosystem by facilitating cooperation among member states with advanced capabilities, including countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, whose counter-terrorism infrastructure offers practical models for intelligence coordination and response.

This regional approach is reinforced by a set of international partnerships aligned with the same objective. Engagement with the United States through the Joint Working Group supports intelligence sharing, training, and defence coordination. Cooperation with the United Kingdom includes defence collaboration and the development of customs data exchange systems between the Nigeria Customs Service and HM Revenue and Customs to strengthen border monitoring. The Strategic Dialogue Mechanism with Brazil, concluded in June 2025, adds further capacity through defence cooperation in training and intelligence. Together, these partnerships expand Nigeria’s capacity to detect, track, and respond to threats before they materialise within its territory, while complementing regional efforts.

These engagements support a defined operational objective: to deny armed groups sanctuary around Nigeria’s borders. Nigeria will act through the Multinational Joint Task Force, bilateral agreements, and regional mechanisms to ensure that border proximity does not provide protection for armed groups. Cross-border action will be coordinated, intelligence-led, and executed within agreed legal frameworks, supported by deeper intelligence integration with neighbouring states. As this approach develops, there is a growing case within ECOWAS for more integrated data systems across member states. A coordinated framework linking national identity databases, border control systems, and security agencies would enable early identification of persons of interest across jurisdictions and strengthen collective response capacity.

Ultimately, this doctrine does not seek conflict with neighbouring states, but alignment against a shared threat environment. Where cooperation is available, it will be deepened. Where political conditions limit coordination, Nigeria will continue to act within existing agreements to protect its territory and its citizens. Delay in the face of active threats carries measurable costs in lives, displacement, and economic disruption.

The “No Sanctuary Doctrine” establishes a measurable standard for policy execution. It removes ambiguity from Nigeria’s response to cross-border insecurity. It affirms that territorial defence includes the denial of external staging grounds for attacks. It places Nigeria in its established role as the principal security actor within its immediate region.

This posture carries clear operational demands. Political conditions in the Sahel are unstable. Partner states face their own governance pressures. Domestic security challenges also require sustained internal coordination. Efforts to control the proliferation of small arms and light weapons remain critical, particularly in addressing the role of illicit arms flows and local manufacturing networks that sustain non-state actors. Strengthening existing institutions responsible for arms control, alongside greater accountability within border communities affected by cross-border insurgent activity, will complement external security efforts and reinforce national stability.

President Tinubu has set this direction. The National Assembly, regional partners, and Nigeria’s security institutions are part of its execution. Its results will determine the stability of Nigeria’s borderlands and the credibility of the state’s most basic responsibility: the protection of its citizens.

*Oshodi is Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on International Affairs and Protocol

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West Africa’s democratic breakdowns have increasingly followed a predictable sequence. Civic space narrows, dissent is reframed as a security problem, and coercive institutions begin to set the boundaries of permissible speech long before constitutions are suspended. In that context, the decision by the Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute to confer a Press Freedom Commendation Award on the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, deserves attention beyond the familiar cycle of praise.

The award provides a lens for assessing how Nigeria is governing the relationship between intelligence power and democratic accountability, and what that posture signals about Nigeria’s leadership and soft power diplomacy in West Africa.

The International Press Institute, founded in 1950 and headquartered in Vienna, operates as a global network of editors, media executives, and senior journalists focused on press freedom and the rule of law. Its national committees, including Nigeria’s, are designed to scrutinise state conduct where security power intersects with civic space. When such a body recognises the head of a domestic intelligence service, the recognition functions as a public judgement about institutional behaviour. It is an assessment that an institution traditionally associated with secrecy and coercive authority has exercised restraint, legality, and dialogue in its engagement with the press.

This framing matter because West Africa’s democratic stress has increasingly been shaped by the securitisation of governance. For instance, in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger, intelligence and military establishments became arbiters of political order long before coups were announced. Civic space narrowed early, and the press faced pressure as a precursor to broader democratic reversal. The erosion of press freedom in these contexts accompanied the securitisation of governance and the narrowing of civic space under the pretext of national survival.

Against this backdrop, the leadership approach adopted by the Department of State Services under Mr. Ajayi represents a deliberate departure from a regional pattern that treats the media as an adversary to be contained. Since his appointment in August 2024, the DSS has recalibrated its engagement with journalists and media organisations, emphasising dialogue over intimidation and lawful process over discretionary force. The IPI’s citation explicitly notes this shift, describing an “unmistakable commitment to press freedom and respect for journalists and media organisations.” Such language is not casually deployed by an organisation whose legitimacy rests on scepticism toward state power.

The significance of this recognition extends beyond domestic governance. Nigeria’s foreign policy posture in West Africa has historically relied on normative leadership as much as strategic capacity. Whether mediating political crises, enforcing regional protocols, or advocating constitutional order within ECOWAS, Nigeria’s influence depends on credibility. That credibility weakens when internal security institutions are perceived as instruments of repression or political management. When intelligence authority is aligned with constitutional limits and civic rights, Nigeria’s position strengthens in regional diplomacy because credibility becomes easier to defend.

From the perspective of international diplomacy, intelligence governance has become a determinant of trust. This is where soft power diplomacy enters the analysis. Soft power depends on perceived legitimacy, institutional discipline, and the coherence between domestic practice and external advocacy. Foreign governments, multilateral institutions, and international media organisations assess how Nigeria’s security agencies interact with civil society and the press, because those interactions reveal the operational meaning of democratic commitments. An international press freedom commendation directed at an intelligence leader therefore affects Nigeria’s reputation in a measurable way: it provides an external reference point that can be cited in diplomatic engagement, cooperation frameworks, and narrative competition across the region.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s public endorsement of the award reinforces this link between institutional conduct and democratic identity. By encouraging other security agencies to emulate the DSS approach under Mr. Ajayi, the Presidency situates press freedom within a wider governance agenda, with consequences for Nigeria’s external posture. Nigeria’s regional advocacy for constitutional order requires internal consistency, because West African audiences evaluate Nigeria’s arguments through Nigeria’s behaviour. Nigeria cannot plausibly argue for the restoration of constitutional order in neighbouring states while tolerating practices at home that mirror the very abuses it condemns.

There is also an operational logic that connects press freedom to intelligence effectiveness. Open media ecosystems surface grievances, corruption risks, social fractures, and local conflict dynamics that formal reporting channels often miss. When journalism is suppressed, state agencies lose information density and reduce their capacity for anticipatory analysis. When journalism is respected within the law, intelligence assessment gains an additional layer of societal visibility. Press freedom therefore supports democratic accountability and improves situational awareness for security planning.

Read through this lens, the IPI commendation of the Director-General of the DSS is evidence of an institutional posture that understands security as a protector of democratic order. In a West African environment where security institutions increasingly claim political guardianship, such an example carries regional relevance. It offers a counter-model to the securitised governance frameworks that have normalised coups and civic repression under the banner of stability.

The future of democracy in West Africa will be shaped by how intelligence power is exercised, restrained, and held accountable. Nigeria’s ability to project influence, mediate crises, and sustain diplomatic authority depends on this balance. This award matters because the conduct it highlights has consequences that extend beyond one office and one event. It is a statement about institutional choice, democratic intent, and the kind of leadership Nigeria seeks to project in a region searching for democratic bearings.

*Oshodi is Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Foreign Affairs.

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Buchi and the nurse were employees of Greensprings School, Awoyaya, Ibeju-Lekki, where the incident occurred on November 27, 2021.

Justice Rahman Oshodi, in his judgment, held that the Lagos State government had successfully proved the charges of rape and assault occasioning harm against the convict.

Oshodi described Buchi as a pathological liar whose attempt to deviate from the offences he committed did not hold water.

According to the judge, the convict showed no remorse for his actions, as he continued to maintain that the survivor (prosecutrix) consented to sexual intercourse with him.

He noted that the sentence for rape was a mandatory life imprisonment prescribed by law, reflecting society’s condemnation of the crime.

The judge further said that the circumstances of the case were deeply troubling, as the convict threatened the prosecutrix while raping her in the school clinic.

Oshodi said the evidence of the prosecutrix was corroborated by two other prosecution witnesses.

He stated that the evidence of the prosecutrix was clear, consistent, credible and convincing, while that of the convict was unreliable and tainted with lies.

He said: “You were employed as a security guard at Greensprings School, Awoyaya, and your duties were to protect lives and property.

“Instead of protecting the prosecutrix, you became her assailant by abandoning your duty post on the night of November 27, 2021.

“You entered the school clinic, where you had no authorisation to be, and raped her while she was alone on duty that night.”

The judge added that the evidence showed the convict used force and violence against the prosecutrix by pressing her hands down, grabbing her legs, and using his security boots to stamp on her legs.

He said the medical examination showed black discolouration on her left eye and bruises on the inner part of her vagina.

The court noted that, in his extra-judicial statement to the police, the convict wrote that the prosecutrix told him, “Leave me now.”

The convict admitted under cross-examination that he interpreted her refusal to mean consent.

The court further held that the convict fabricated a defence by claiming that the prosecutrix was his girlfriend, a claim contradicted by his statement to the police.

Oshodi said: “Throughout this trial, you have shown no understanding of the gravity of your actions or the harm you have caused.

“Beyond the physical injuries, the prosecutrix will carry the psychological scars of that violation.

“Consequently, you are sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and three years’ imprisonment for assault occasioning harm.”

The court held that the sentences would run concurrently and ordered that the convict’s name be registered in the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.

The State Lead Counsel, Mr Babajide Boye, called three witnesses, through whom compelling evidence and exhibits were tendered, while the convict testified as the sole witness for the defence.

The prosecutrix had earlier testified that she resumed night duty on the day of the incident when the convict approached her at the school clinic for vitamin C.

She said the convict returned to the clinic a few minutes later after switching off the light and raped her.

According to the prosecution, the offences contravene Sections 173 and 258 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Source: NAN

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The matter, instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is before Justice Rahman Oshodi at the Criminal Division of the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Judicial Division.

The defendants in the charge are United Bank for Africa, UBA, Plc; Muyiwa Akinyemi; Amangbo Eziashi Stephen; Gesos Global Service Limited, and Fedat Global Limited.

At the resumed hearing, counsel to the EFCC, Mr. T. J. Banjo, announced his appearance and informed the court that he was taken by surprise by the absence of the defendants, despite having been duly served with the charge and other relevant court processes.

Banjo told the court that the second and third defendants, Muyiwa Akinyemi and Amangbo Eziashi Stephen, were fully aware of the proceedings but had failed to present themselves in court.

He added that the two individuals were currently on the run, stressing that their non-appearance was not due to any lack of notice or service.

In view of the development, the EFCC counsel applied for an adjournment to enable the commission to file the necessary applications to formally establish proof of service on all the defendants ahead of their arraignment.

Justice Oshodi, after listening to the submission of the prosecution, granted the application and adjourned the case to April 21, 2026, for arraignment.

The court directed that proceedings on the next adjourned date would commence at 9:00 a.m.

According to the charge, the defendants are facing multiple counts bordering on fraudulent conversion, retention of proceeds of crime, foreign exchange malpractice and money laundering involving the sum of N4,290,112,796.72, allegedly belonging to Energy Shield Petrochemical Limited.

The EFCC alleged that between September 14, 2022, and March 20, 2023, in Lagos and within the jurisdiction of the court, the defendants conspired to sell foreign exchange at rates above those stipulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

The anti-graft agency further alleged that the proceeds from the purported illegal transactions were subsequently retained and laundered.

The offences are said to contravene relevant provisions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, as well as the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

The court is expected to take the defendants’ plea when they are produced for arraignment on the next adjourned date.

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The tournament is taking place at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Ojomu beat her compatriot Aiyelabegan in a thrilling 4-0 victory (11-7, 11-8, 11-5, 14-12) to secure the title.

The U.S.-based Ojomu said: “I’m excited but in a lot of pain. It’s really a mixed feeling for me.

“I’m the top-ranked female player here. Playing teammates is always hard because we often face each other on the national team.

“I’m grateful for this win. It’s been a long journey. Reaching the final three times without winning can be very disheartening.

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“At the last tournament in Togo, I reached the final but had to retire due to injury. It was heartbreaking.

“Today, I almost suffered the same fate. I felt the pain again, but I pushed through and I’m grateful.

“I thank God, the fans, and the African federation president for giving us a platform to show our talent.

“I also thank Lagos State and Nigeria. I’m proud of myself. My family knows the effort I put in. I’m happy to take this trophy back to the U.S.”

In the men’s final, Mathew Kuti overcame unseeded Abdulfatai Abdubasit 4-2 (7-11, 12-10, 6-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-6).

Kuti had earlier won the championship in Lome, becoming the first player to defend a West Africa regional title.

Wahid Oshodi, President of the Africa Table Tennis Federation, said fans would be thrilled, and that was what mattered most.

He praised the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation and said the focus was on developing new talent for future success.

“It took us 15 years to get Quadri Aruna into the world top 10.

“These new player are even more talented. We haven’t seen this level of giftedness in a long time,” he said.

Source: NAN

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Idowu, who pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him, was subsequently convicted for the offenses and sentenced.

Speaking in reaction to the conviction, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, warned that the state would not tolerate any attack or acts of aggression towards any of its operatives on lawful duty.

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He reiterated that all such operatives would be protected with the full force of the law in the discharge of their duties.

Wahab expressed the optimism that the latest conviction would serve as a deterrence to everyone that social status or standing will not be a determinant in the application of the law.

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On a day when most African contenders bowed out on Day 3 of the global table tennis showpiece, Aruna pressed on with trademark grit and determination.

He advanced to the third round amidst loud support from African Table Tennis Federation President, Wahid Enitan Oshodi.

In a tense encounter at Qatar University, Aruna faced Norway’s Borgar Haug in what turned out to be one of the tournament’s most thrilling duels.

In spite of the Norwegian’s lower world ranking, the match was anything but predictable, highlighting that table tennis is won on the court—not on paper.

Aruna claimed the first set 11-7, but Haug responded fiercely with an 11-3 win in the second.

The back-and-forth battle continued with Aruna taking the third set 11-8, before Haug leveled again, winning the fourth 11-8.

Aruna’s powerful and precise serves gave him the edge in the fifth set, which he won 11-7.

The sixth and final set was a nail-biter.

Aruna led 9-7, but Haug fought back to tie at 9-9.

The Nigerian edged ahead to 10-9, only for the Norwegian to equalise once more at 10-10.

Drawing on experience and composure, Aruna secured the next two points to take the set 12-10 and seal the match 4-2—becoming the last African man standing in the competition.

At a nearby table, Egypt’s Omar Assar was edged out in a narrow 4-3 loss to Portugal’s Marcos Freitas (11-6, 8-11, 12-10, 3-11, 8-11, 11-8, 10-12), bowing out in the second round.

In the Women’s Singles, Madagascar’s 22-year-old sensation, Hanitra Raharimanana saw her fairytale run end in the second round after a 4-0 defeat (11-2, 11-8, 11-2, 11-4) to Germany’s Sabine Winter.

African teams experienced mixed outcomes in the Mixed Doubles event.

Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo and Kabirat Ayoola were eliminated in the second round by South Korean opponents.

However, Egypt’s Youssef Abdelaziz and Mariam Alhodaby progressed to the third round with a commanding 3-1 victory over their Italian counterparts.

Aruna will next face Germany’s Benedikt Duda, a familiar rival, in what promises to be another thrilling third-round clash as he continues his inspiring journey in Doha.

Source: NAN

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The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, made this known on Sunday in a statement he issued.

The redesign, he explained, would take care of the integration of the rail mass transit system – Red Line rail project connecting the Blue Line.

His words: “The ministry recognised that a review of the OTI’s design and operations is essential for its optimisation and so a meeting with relevant stakeholders to discuss the current state of the OTI.

“The review will also identify viable solutions that will enhance its operational efficiency in alignment with global standards and Standard Operating Procedures.”

The commissioner said the ministry would carry out a  site visitation to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the OTI, which would inform decision-making regarding its optimal usage.

Said he: “It was proposed that it is necessary to engage the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency to ensure swift and periodic road maintenance around the OTI facilities to enhance accessibility and safety for all commuters.

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“A holistic enforcement initiative will be initiated to address the challenges posed by street hawking in the OTI vicinity, which has been a significant concern affecting pedestrian and commuter safety.

“This initiative will involve collaboration with law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance and the maintenance of order in and around the interchange.

“All relevant stakeholders are urged to submit any identified grey areas that require improvement prior to the next site inspection.

“This collaborative approach will assist the ministry in coming up with targeted solutions while on-site and will promote a more effective and functional facility.”

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Civil servants were advised to play the role of change agents in the state’s economic transformation effort in shaping a sustainable future.

The charge came at the launching of a Waste-to-Value collection hub, a Charity Begins At Home 2.0 initiative of the Office of the Special Adviser on Climate Change and Circular Economy.

The event was held at the Quadrant car park (quarters of Ministries of Economic Planning and Budget, Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation; Youth and Social Development; Lagos Water Regulatory Commission and Lagos State Safety Commission) in the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

The launch was flagged off with a road show within the secretariat complex to create awareness on the Waste-to-Value collection hub.

A well-designed containerized space with signs and marks to help identify the different points of exchange, where civil servants can swap wastes such as PET bottles, tin cans, paper, cartons, textiles, for financial benefits and other well-structured financial aid.

Performing the launch exercise, the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Olabode Agoro, said embracing the initiative in the public service was a means of empowerment and presented sustainable financial inclusion structures for civil servants.

His words: “It’s not just a policy directive. It is a moral, economic and strategic imperative. By adopting waste-to-value models, we empower ourselves with innovative pathways for financial stability, resource optimization and environmental stewardship.

“This initiative goes beyond waste management. It introduces sustainable financial inclusion structures, such as decision, adjunct and cooperative models that provide economic resilience for civil servants.”

Agoro stressed that the initiative was a meaningful way of shrinking the need for landfills, which would improve preservation of the environment for future generations.

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Charging public servants on the need to play active roles in promoting green policies, he said “Imagine a Lagos where civil servants actively participate in waste valorization, serve as agents that integrate green policies and systems into its operation and where our collective effort sets the precedent for other states to follow.

“As we embark on this journey, I challenge each and every one of us to take ownership of this initiative through responsible waste segregation, building status, participation in cooperative savings schemes, and advocating for green policies in our respective offices. We all have a role to play in shaping a sustainable future,” he said.

In his remarks, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ope George, said: “This is not just a government initiative; it is a movement that requires the collective effort of civil servants, private sector players, environmental advocates and every resident of Lagos.

“The circular economy thrives on collaboration, innovation and a commitment to sustainability. This is very important and an opportunity for us all to embrace these principles in our daily lives, thereby transforming both valuable resources and moving away from the traditional linear economy of take-make-and-dispose.”

He urged civil servants to remain engaged, be inspired and take a look at some innovative steps that would help drive the circular economy vision forward.

Earlier in her opening address, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Mrs. Titi Oshodi, noted that engaging the civil service workforce of over 5,000 staff members can influence the drive to change and promote sustainable practices within their households and communities.

Her words: “It has become imperative that our workforce not only become climate friendly and nutrient, but also find economic benefits in driving environmentally sustainable landscapes in their daily output, both at work and at home.

“The sheer volume of our civil service workforce presents a unique opportunity for a multiplier effect. As these individuals adopt sustainable practices, they can inspire their families and communities to do the same and refine our impact across Lagos State.”

Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Cecila Dada, averred to the importance of the waste valorisation in the public service, stating that it would provide empowerment opportunities for members of staff.

Permanent Secretaries, Pharm (Mrs) Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu (Youth and Social Development), Mrs. Olayinka Ojo (Economic Planning and Budget) and Directors from the State’s parastatals were present at the event.

Also present at the take-off were Nollywood actors: Foluke Daramola-Salako; Ayo Adesanya; Sola Kosoko, her sibling, Bidemi Kosoko, Razak Owokoniran amongst others to lend their voice in support of the initiative.

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Delivering judgment, Justice Rahman Oshodi held that the prosecution proved the charge of defilement against Osifo beyond every reasonable doubt.

Oshodi noted that the convict breached the trust that was entrusted into his hands by defiling the survivor.

According to him, evidence of the victim was corroborated by her mother’s evidence and medical examination revealed absence of hymen.

He said that the convict exploited the vulnerability of the child under his care to defile her.

The Judge said: “John Osifo, the gravity of your offence cannot be over stated.

“As a teacher, you are in a position of trust that you breached.

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“You did not only exploit the vulnerability of a child under your care, you also took advantage of the Covid-19 lockdown.

“Instead of showing remorse, you chose to fabricate a lie and false accusations alleging that the mother of the victim tried to seduce you.”

The court thereafter sentenced him to life imprisonment and ordered that his name be registered in the sexual offences register of Lagos State.

The prosecution, led my Mr Babajide Boye, called three witnesses; the survivor, survivor’s mother and a medical doctor while the defence called eight witnesses during trial.

The prosecution had told the court that the convict committed the offence sometime in May 2020 and June 2021 on Vissol Street, Jejelaye in Ajangbadi and Marifod Private School, Ajangbadi, Lagos.

Prosecution submitted that the convict, who also served as a home lesson teacher for the minor during COVID-19, had unlawful sexual intercourse with her.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

Source: NAN

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