By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A lecturer with the Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, Mr Fred Ekpa Ayokhai, has been remanded in prison alongside three of his children.
The 53-year-old associate professor in the department of History and International Studies was seen in a viral video assaulting a 20-year-old Miss Blessing Mathias.
Miss Mathias is a friend of the daughter of the university don, Miss Emmanuela Ayokhai. The two ladies had a misunderstanding, and Miss Ayokhai was allegedly assaulted.
In retaliation, she came with her family members, including her father, to brutally assault her. This action was recorded and later posted online, sparking outrage.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Nasarawa Command, swung into action and arrested the lecturer and the others.
On Wednesday, the police arraigned Mr Ayokhai, his 18-year-old daughter, 21-year-old Saint-Dan Ayokhai, and 23-year-old Bob Praise Ayokhai before the chief judge of Nasarawa State, Justice Aisha Bashir-Aliyu.
The police slammed the suspects with a six-count charge of criminal conspiracy, housebreaking and criminal force or assault to a woman with intent to outrage modesty, kidnapping and inflicting physical injury on another.
The prosecuting team said the offences were punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria, Section 3(1) & 4 of the Nasarawa State Kidnapping (Prohibition) Law, 2019, Section 268(2) & 354 of the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria and Section 3(1) of the Nasarawa State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2019.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer for Nasarawa State Command, Mr Ramhan Nansel, the suspects have been remanded in prison custody pending formal arraignment, while the case was assigned to a judge for trial.
Adedapo Adesanya