A joint statement by the Police, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has called for accelerated hearing of rape cases in Nigeria. This comes on the back of several rape charges in the country.
The call was made in a statement issued after a meeting by the organisations at the Force Headquarters on Saturday in Abuja, Nigeria.
Tony Ojukwu, Executive Secretary of NHRC disclosed that the spate of rape accusations had necessitated joint sector action at combating the vice and hopefully curb the rate of rape.
Mr. Ojukwu said viral reports which the commission had received as well as those traditional and new media disclosed that rape case had emerged a serious vice in the West African Nation.
He expressed surprise at the level of which rape victims were being discriminated and stereotyped by the society including law enforcement agencies when rape cases are brought forth.
He said, “It is therefore highly imperative to train senior officials, who prosecute such cases in order to change the narratives. We will also engage them in a monthly meeting where we will bring up all rape/SGBV cases that require prosecution before them for immediate action.
“This will encourage survivors to report more cases which will in turn give them hope. This is crucial for their survival.”
Mohammed Adamu- Inspector-General of Police, expressed unalloyed support of the force to back efforts tailored towards combating rape and similar offences in the country.
IGP Adamu directed AIG Intelligence, Mr Ibrahim Lamorde, to cooperate with the NHRC monthly on human rights violations with a view to ensuring accountability.
On her part, Director-General of NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli, pledged to work with the two organisations to ensure an updated sexual offenders register to name and shame Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) perpetrators.
Source: SaharaReporters