By Dedeigbo Ayodeji
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu, Thursday, described rape and other sexual offences as a global menace which requires partnership from stakeholders to tackle.
IGP Adamu made the comment during a tripartite meeting with the Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Dame Julie Okah-Donli and the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr. Tony Ojukwu, according to a statement signed by the Force spokesperson, DCP Frank Mba.
During the meeting which was held at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the Police Chief assured that the agency is repositioning to better fight the menace, vowing that perpetrators of sexual offences will not go unpunished.
According to him, the Police will continue to better the relationship with the NHRC and NAPTIP and develop a “proactive and comprehensive National Response to the issues of Sexual Offences in the country.”
The statement further noted that those in attendance during the meeting were the Rule of Law Adviser – Office of the Vice President, Dr. Fatima Waziri; members of the Police Management Team, the Commissioner of Police in-charge of INTERPOL, the Force Gender Officer among others.
Nigeria has reported a spike in the number of rape cases in recent times with many people taking to social media platforms calling for sanctions to the perpetrators of sexual offences.
Last month, a 100-level student of the Department of Microbiology, University of Benin (UNIBEN), Vera Uwaila Omozuwa was raped and killed in a church in Benin City, Edo State.
Uwa, 22, was said to have gone to read in the church at the Ikpoba Hill area of the city when the incident happened.
The men were reported to have struck her in the head with a fire extinguisher after raping her and left her for dead.
She was rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital where she later died.
In the same month, police authorities in Jigawa State arrested eleven men for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl.
The spokesperson of the State police command, Abdu Jinjiri, who confirmed the incident said it occurred at Limawa Quarters in Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
They were arrested after the 12-year-old narrated that they raped her on different occasions.
