Two held for rape, murder of 21-year-old student

Nemesis has caught up with two students of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State over their involvement in the kidnap, rape and murder of  a 21-year-old student, Mercy Peter. The students, Henry Onoriode Edewo, aged 21 and Emmanuel  are in the Department of  Business Administration of the institution. According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Anthony Airhuoyo, the suspects  serially raped their victim and consequently killed her.

He disclosed that the late Mercy was kidnapped on July 29, 2012 by the suspects and was killed four days later.

They also buried her in a shallow grave at a forest in Ugbor, Oredo Local Government Area to conceal their heinous crime.

But luck ran out of them on October 17 as they went further to demand for ramson from the parents of the deceased.

The command's image maker added that the suspects took the police to where they buried their victim after which the remains were exhumed for autopsy.

The command stated that the third suspect identified as Charles is on the run.

Meanwhile, a 45-year-old woman, whose name was given as Mrs. Rosemary Ediae, and her 17-year-old daughter, Oghogho, have been kidnapped in Benin, the state capital
They were abducted about 200 meters away from their house in Ohenhen Street, off New Lagos Road

The kidnappers were said to have contacted members of the family and are demanding N15 million as ramson.

Narrating the incident yesterday, the husband of Rosemary,  Cliff, a senior pharmacist at the Psychiatric Hospital, Uselu, told newsmen  that his wife and daughter were kidnapped and taken away in a Toyota Camry car.

According to him, the incident occurred on Monday evening  as they were on their way home from her shop located at  2, Medical Store Road.

He explained that the Toyota Camry car was found abandoned along Benin-Akure road and is presently in the custody of Ekiadolor Police Station.

“I was at home in the evening waiting for them and after a long time, I did not see them and after several efforts to reach them failed, a search party swung into action and they got the information about the kidnap. I have reported to the police but I don’t know if they are doing something,” he stated.

Airhuoyo confirmed the incident.

Meanwhile, worried by the rate at which it is being negatively abused, the Federal Government has concluded plan to ban the sale and use of Rophynol drug in the country.

It was the drug that was administered in the celebrated Facebook murder case of the post graduate student of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Miss Cynthia Osukogu.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has also approved the Nigeria National Pharmacovigilance Policy, which is aimed at ensuring proper management of adverse drug reactions in the country. 

The FEC equally approved the sum of N671million for consultancy services and engineering design for the extension of the East-West road with a completion period of nine months.

Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, who dropped the hint of the planned ban of Rophynol in Abuja yesterday while briefing journalists after the FEC meeting, pointed out that the drug has been banned in most countries due to similar case.

Rophynol is a powerful sedative drug that is illegal in the United States but is used elsewhere as a hypnotic drug and in anesthesia.

It is popularly known as the “date rape” drug because of its ability to cause semi-consciousness and memory blackouts, leading to its association with unwanted sexual encounters.

According to Chukwu, the appropriate authorities have been asked to guide the government on the position to take.

The FEC meeting was presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo.

President Goodluck Jonathan was on a visit to Benue as part of the tour of flooded states.

"There is a different body that decides which drugs can be used in Nigeria, not NAFDAC. 

The law that empowers that body allows it to decide which drugs should be banned in Nigeria or which drug should be used. For instance, the drugs that was recently used in driving a Nigerian girl and later raping her to death ( Cynthia Osokogu), right now, as the Minister of Health, I have directed the appropriate bodies which is the Nigerian essential drugs list and national drug formulary committee which is established by a separate law in this country to immediately look into whether we should ban the drug or not."

The drug, he further said, has been banned in some countries. Meanwhile, FEC yesterday approved the Pharmacovigilance policy for the country.

The policy is to assist government to monitor and deal with issues of adverse effects of drugs reactions in the country.

The policy, which will be implemented by the National Pharmacological Centre, located in National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has actually been approved by the National Council on Health at it's 55th meeting in July.

According to the Health Minister, the policy is to ensure that adverse drug reactions are properly managed in the country.

"Today at the Federal Executive Council, the Council approved the Nigerian National Pharmacovigilance policy. It is a policy to ensure that adverse drug reactions are properly managed in this country. And in managing adverse drug reactions, there is need for prompt reporting, and for the reporting to be made to the appropriate authority. 

There is need for documentation of such report. There is need for follow up of such report. There is also need for clear guidelines as to how such report will be investigated. There is also need for further research to be done, which will entail the collection of data from across different centres. 

"The policy has actually been approved by the National Council on Health at its 55th meeting in July. The normal process should be that after the National Council on Health, which is the highest policy formulation body in the health sector that involves not only the Federal Government but also the states government, once it approves any policy, then, it has to be sent to FEC for final approval.

"The policy will be formally implemented by the National Pharmaco-vigilance Centre which is located within the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC). It will help this country to begin to address issues that are often being ignored.

"We want to have an organised way of monitoring this reactions so much that Nigerians will be sure that their health are well taken care of. The professional bodies that regulate drugs are already in place. They must be reinforced to continue to do their work," the minister said.

Also yesterday, the council approved N671million for consultancy services and engineering design for the extension of the East-West road with a completion period of nine months.

The contract is for phase four work of the East-West road that spans from Oron, Akwa-Ibom State to Calabar, Cross River state.

Minister of State, Niger Delta, Hajia Zanab Kuchi, who also briefed newsmen at the end of the weekly meeting, said when completed, the proposed dual carriage way will reduce journey time from any section of the East West Road to Calabar. 

She also noted that the road will also help open up access to riverine areas and communities and leveraging their full economic potential.

Source: Compass