‘Youth Corper raped to death in Nigeria’; the questions…

October 7, 2009; Update: October 28,2009

nysc-paradeNewsRescue- A major headline in many Nigerian daily’s has been the very sad story of an alleged gang-rape that resulted in the death of a Nigerian youth corper serving in Borno State in Northern Nigeria.

Unsubstantiated, inciting news report

This tale was reported by a new Nigerian newspaper, Next, and in their report, the rape was described(without supportive evidence) to have been carried out by religious fanatics due to the late corper, Mrs Grace Ushang, wearing Khaki pants, the official uniform of the Nigerian Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

NYSC is a one year compulsory service program where college graduates in Nigeria are posted to serve in foreign states to assimilate and interact with other cultures.

See: GraceUshang.org memorial Website

The death of Mrs Grace has taken a very serious political dimension as it occurred at a time when an ‘Indecency bill’ was on the congress table. The Leader of a Yoruba association, Afenifere has yelled several threats in relation to this death and an official investigation has been initiated with the Nigerian Security Services department and northern Police force in search of the murderers. But the questions are-

Who raped her and why?

How was it known that the rapists raped this lady for wearing pants?

How was the identity of the rapists known? Perhaps they were not locals but corpers?

Were there witnesses and where are they now and how are they helping in apprehending the culprits?

Why attach a sensational motive to rape? Has the barbaric act of rape ever deserved motives?

The media reports on this event have remained completely empty of answers to these very important questions and though an official investigation has not yet been conducted on this crime, many media have published conclusions [ad#medium]and politicized this sad event with popular captions tying it to the indecency bill.

Related: Ritual beheading in Nigeria- Warning! Graphic images

Other media reports have found a way to link the clearly condemned action of hoodlums and miscreants, officially sought by the State in Nigeria to a totally different, State sanctioned action in Sudan. Two contrasting events with absolutely no common denominator.

See related update(Oct.28, 2009): NewsRescue- Female youth corps member strangled to death by her colleague, in Niger State, Nigeria

We at NewsRescue, on behalf of all well meaning Nigerians, advise tolerance, restraint and due process from all citizens and Nigerian media. We also advise Nigerian media to fully investigate stories and publicize relevant sources to back their tales. It should not be about the story but about the news.

The media must be very careful in not promoting the vicious cycle of intolerance and violence in Nigeria.

Certain southerners have been itching to ‘retaliate’ on Northerners in their vicinity due to this story, but fortunately elders in the states have called for calm as an investigation is in process.

We sympathize with the family of Ms Ushang.

Rape In Nigeria: NGO Records 1,128 Rape Cases In Delta in 6 months! - PeaceWomen

September 22, 2008 – (Leadership) The Women of Compassion Worldwide, an NGO, has reported that it recorded 1,128 cases of rape in Delta State between January and July.

According to statistics made available to the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN ) at Agbor in Delta, 179 rape cases were reported in January alone in the three senatorial districts of the state.

Out of the total, 57 were juvenile victims, while 122 were adults.

In February, 74 juveniles and 149 adults were raped, while 58 juvenile and 176 adult victims were recorded the following month.

The figures dropped to 31 juveniles and 98 adults in April, compared to 29 juvenile and 90 adult victims in May.

In June, 45 juveniles and 83 adults were defiled, while July recorded 34 juvenile and 82 adult victims.

The Coordinator of the NGO, Mrs Joy Anthony, told NAN that the organisation had to carry out a vigorous campaign against rape in schools in the state because of its rising incidence in the past one year.

She said that the organization started its campaign in 2002 to ameliorate the plight of women and children.

The State House of Assembly had, on July 2, passed a resolution calling on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to direct relevant agencies to intensify efforts to enlighten the people on the dangers of rape.

Similarly, the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development inaugurated a 14-member committee on the campaign against rape on Aug. 14.

Update, October 9th, 2009

Evidence yet to support the propagandized motive for the rape

This excerpt from Next goes to prove that the publicized assumption of mens rea for this horrendous act by whoever is culpable is yet unfounded and unsupported.

Paul Adah (PDP, Cross River) had, in a motion, said Miss Ushang was serving with El-Kanemi College of Business Administration on September 27. He said the deceased left the Corpers’ Lodge, around Customs area of the state capital, at about 6.30 pm on the day of her death in search of food within the neighbourhood – only for her corpse to be found beside a nearby river at about 8.00 pm.

Mr Adah said the windy weather in Maiduguri that day provided a cover for Miss Ushang’s assailants to as sault and murder her in cold blood.

The lawmaker added that he was worried that the assailants attacked her on ground that she was wearing a Khaki Trouser, the official uniform of youth corps members which they considered as indecent dressing.

He also said that the medical report confirmed that Miss Ushang was physically assaulted, thereby sustaining grievous injury which resulted in her death. -Next

Related: 18 year old girl beheaded for rituals in Imo, Nigeria
Related: Nigerian lawmakers describe taking naked blood oaths to office

Read more/Comment

14 Responses to “‘Youth Corper raped to death in Nigeria’; the questions…”

  1. Dapo says:
    October 4, 2011 at 12:46 am

    With all that have happened to our youth corp members during the elections and after I want to believe without any sentiment that it will be very wicked for the NYSC Leaders and people in charge to post any of our southern corp members to the troubled states in the north. I am not being tribalistic here, lets imagine the agony of the departed souls and their family members they left behind.

    It’s a truth that there is a big gap in terms of educational advancement between the south and the north orchestrated by their leaders educational policies over the years, everybody is making effors to bridge the gap and see what they are in turn doing to frustrate the good gesture, it ia sad.

    The authority should identified those states and post ONLY the indigen of the state there because they know where to run to whenever their issues starts again. Any one that is against this noble idea is ungodly, wicked and should pray that he or she has a taste of such.

    God, please have mercy on Nigeria!

    Reply
  2. lizzy says:
    April 22, 2011 at 1:33 pm

    this is crazy.. called for service doesnt mean dying for this country.. why cant the leaders who were called to service go and die for the country.. with the N9775 dey r paying, ppl’s kids and parents would be slaughtered.. anyway God is watching

    Reply
  3. chukwudi Nnji says:
    April 19, 2011 at 12:57 pm

    What a tragedy, she have saved her fathers land with a painful death.

    Reply
  4. austin says:
    November 5, 2010 at 10:18 am

    its a pity that this country is like this,where threr is no single security.well iwill actually needs revolution to enable fishout the bad eggs amongs us

    Reply
  5. ONYENKWERE UCHECHUKWU says:
    October 8, 2010 at 1:27 am

    IS A PETTY,BUT WE WERE CALL FOR SERVICE AND HUMANITY.MAY THE SOUL OF GRACE USHANG AND ALL FAITHFUL DEPARTED THROUGH THE MERCY OF GOD REST IN PEACE AMEN

    Reply
  6. Anthony Enumah says:
    July 28, 2010 at 9:54 pm

    it’s a pity & shame 2 our country dat service 2 our fatherland ve turned 2 death traps 2 d citizens.
    d govt/community should always protect corpers in any place posted 2 serve 2 avoid dis kind of incidence.
    i believe dis crime was a planned act by d gang/culprits.

    Reply
  7. UDEME SUNDAY says:
    November 27, 2009 at 11:32 pm

    THIS IS WHERE WE WANT GOVERNMENT TO COME IN, COS WE CAN SEE REASON WHY FULL FLESH GIRL WILL GO TO SERVE HER FATHERLAND AND RETURN DEAD.. IT HAS TO BE ADDRESS. SLEEP WELL MY DEAR CORP MEMBER AND MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PEACE. AMEN

    REGARDS

    Reply
  8. NigeriansTalk says:
    October 21, 2009 at 11:25 pm

    A month has passed and the perpetuators of Ushang’s rape and murder have not yet been apprehended. I have not yet come to terms with the idea that at this point in time, we know the motives of the perpetrators, but no one has been arrested. I wholeheartedly disagree with the idea that Ushang’s rape and eventual death was the result of her wearing khaki trousers. Those men who attacked Ushang did so, not in the name of Allah; but rather, they acted on their animalistic urges, which looms relatively unchecked in a society where violence against women remains pervasive. The fact that there is an excuse being circulated as to why Ushang was attacked so ruthlessly is a glaring indictment on our nation’s view of rape and other violent acts committed against women. We all know, (minus Senator Ekaette), that the worn-out excuse of ”her trousers (skirt, blouse, what-have-you) made me do it” is a pretty pathetic explanation for anything. However, the fact that we even try to explain away such heinous crimes is orders of magnitude more pathetic. Any explanation for rape other than the rapist is, truly, a sick bastard, directly or indirectly shifts blame to the victim. If such is not the case or intention, blaming Ushang’s khakis is some twisted means by which to rationalize the brutality of the crime. Needless to say, I don’t buy into either – blaming the victim, nor tempering the barbaric nature of the crime with some careless explanation. Let’s call a spade a spade – wonton violence is wonton violence and can only be perpetuated by the vilest of the vile.

    Reply
  9. moi says:
    October 20, 2009 at 8:11 am

    IN EVERY RUMOUR THERE IS AN ATOM OF TRUTH. SOMEONE DID NOT JUST WAKE UP TO MAKE UP THE STORY.
    SERVICE AND HUMANITY………………… THATS WAT WE WERE TOLD……………………….MAY HER SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE MY FELLOW CORP MEMBER………………………………………. CORPER SHUN……… U WILL LIVE FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS……………………………………AS FOR THE RAPISTS……. LET THE LORD I SERVE TAKE ACTION

    Reply
  10. Elijah Chijioke says:
    October 11, 2009 at 2:50 am

    The report on next was clear enough. Why are you people trying to distract from the real issues here?

    Reply
    • George Ob says:
      October 11, 2009 at 8:01 am

      The speculative rumor on next remains unfounded. I agree with the people here. We must be cautious not to incite where evidence is absolutely not available.

      Do you disagree?

      Reply
  11. morenikeji says:
    October 9, 2009 at 10:31 am

    there shouldn’t be questions on who or why they did that. definitely, those who did that are already cursed. we talking about nature. nemesis will catch up on them.

    Reply
  12. Funke says:
    October 7, 2009 at 11:27 pm

    Rubbish! it is those fanatics that did it. may her soul rest in peace. I can imagine how will her family feel. How can you send your daughter who has completed University and maybe has a fiance she is ready to marry to serve and this will happen to her. God punich the people that did this to her. Nigeria!

    Reply
  13. Samuel Otoks says:
    October 7, 2009 at 11:23 pm

    Very interesting. abi dead she could not have give the story so how do we know. iwe should be careful in making our minds on matters of this natures.

    Reply

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