Shockwaves are reverberating across Yorùbáland and the global Yorùbá diaspora following the sudden death of the Baba Ọba (King’s Father) of the famed Oyotunji African Village in South Carolina, USA. The late Baba Ọba, Lukman Arohunfale, a revered socialite and traditionalist, passed away under circumstances already sparking fierce controversy. His death comes just days after he publicly accused the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty Oba Akeem Adéyẹmọ Owoade, of allegedly ordering his courtiers to beat him mercilessly during a recent courtesy visit to the Oyo palace in Nigeria. In a widely circulated voice recording, the deceased recounted how what was meant to be a simple homage turned violent. Although the Baba Ọba had reportedly battled ill health in the past year, growing insinuations suggest that the alleged physical assault may have aggravated his condition, ultimately leading to his untimely death. The palace in Oyo recently denied that s...
The girls were declared missing after a video of their unclothedness and torture was uploaded on social media platforms by five men who had been remanded in custody for the rape.
The accused – Bode Akinsiku, Olabanji Femi, Abiodun Ayodele, Fadairo Wahab, and Adedayo Adebayo – were alleged to have lured the two teenagers to the house of one of them on Kogbona Street in the town, where the victims were allegedly raped and tortured.
The two raped girls and one other teenager alleged on Tuesday that they were abducted shortly after the rape trial started.
They alleged that the wife of one of the suspects, Toyin Akinsiku, and one Imole, masterminded their abduction.
The teenagers said Akinsiku took them to an unidentified woman in Lagos State, who used them for prostitution and menial jobs.
One of them said, “We were going back home in company with one of our friends, Posi, on the day when the two women forced us to climb an okada and took us towards the Awoyaya area along Ondo-Ore Road in Ondo town, where we later boarded a bus to Lagos.
“Our abductors handed us over to a woman who specialised in hotel business and forced us to become prostitutes in the hotel. We take more than 15 men on a daily basis and the woman gave us N500 every day.
“At times, we were made to hawk sachet water. But when it was weekend, we were inside the hotel for business. We later ran away from the hotel.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Femi Joseph, who confirmed the return of the girls, said Toyin had been arrested and would be charged to court for kidnapping.
He said, “The girls were abducted in Ondo and taken to Lagos State for prostitution by the wife of one of the suspects (Toyin), but the girls managed to escape.
“We have arrested Mrs Akinsiku, while the other woman ran away. We will soon charge her to court for kidnapping.”
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