• Youths protest killing in Bayelsa community

Angry residents of Obunagha community in Yenagoa Local Council of Bayelsa State have apprehended a 40-year-old man over the alleged sexual assault of his 12-year-old stepdaughter.

Sources said the girl was taken to the Niger Delta University Hospital for medical attention and is currently receiving treatment. The suspect, said to be a bricklayer in the community, was later handed over to the state’s Rapid Response Unit at Dor Akpoor after residents restrained him.

The father of the victim, who asked not to be named, described the incident as distressing and confirmed that the child remains under close medical care. He said the family was consulting on the next steps, including possible prosecution.

Youth leaders in the area, alongside a gender-based organisation, said they had deployed field officers to monitor developments. A former youth president of the Gbarain Youths Federation, Pere Orufa, confirmed the incident and urged parents and guardians to be vigilant in protecting children.

The founder of the Do Foundation, Dr Dise Ogbise Goddy Harry, said recent cases of child sexual abuse recorded between December 2025 and January 2026 were troubling. She called for renewed public sensitisation and stronger preventive measures, noting the need for coordinated action by all stakeholders to curb gender-based violence.

In a separate incident, youths in Swali community staged a protest over the killing of a student of Ekowe Polytechnic, Clever Charles Abadi, who is also a native of Ekowe community.

The protesters reportedly blocked roads and markets in Swali, carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs while demanding justice for the deceased. They called on the authorities to investigate the killing and ensure those responsible are brought to book.