This frequent news of rape is getting
really creepy. What is happening in our
citadels of learning? Why are the people
who are supposed to have high moral
standards, the so-called “educated”
people in the country now turning into
rapists? In Nigeria where there is a
tough clamour for admission into tertiary
institutions, much is expected from one
who is sent to the University, rape not
inclusive.
It is therefore annoying and at the same
time saddening for me as a former
female student of University of Lagos to
read news of a gang rape among its
students.
This is how Vanguard News reported it:
Four students of the University of Lagos
were on Tuesday charged before an
Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court in Lagos
for allegedly gang raping a 17-year-old
girl.
The accused – Jeremiah Bamigbayan,
18; Lanre Olayemi, 19; Abisoye Atoyegbe,
18; and Nelson Onyeoziri, 18 – are
facing a three-count charge of rape,
conspiracy and assault.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
But the prosecutor, ASP Innocent Effiong,
said the accused, all of the Business
Administration Department, allegedly
committed the offence when they
conspired and raped their victim on
March 17.
He said the alleged victim, a student of
History and Strategic Studies of the
same university, was overpowered and
raped at about 10.30 p.m. at Ozolua
Boys Quarters on the campus.
Effiong said the offences contravened
Section 258, 259 and 409 of the Criminal
Code, Laws of Lagos State 2011.
Magistrate Adesola Ikpatt granted the
accused bail in the sum of N100, 000
each, with two sureties each in like sum.
She adjourned the case to April 30 for
mention.
While we are still recovering from the
shock of the gang rape at Abia State
University last year where the students
had the effrontery to shoot a video of
their sexual assault of the victim, four
Unilag students are following suit with an
act such as this!
What is more saddening is the fact that
the perpetrators and their victim are just
teenagers. From the way it looks, they
were probably friends with the girl who
must have trusted them enough to go
with them into their quarters.
