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AI Laments Failure To Tackle Perpetrators Of Rape …As Nigeria Records 11,200 Incidents In 12 Months

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Despite the Federal Government’s declaration of a “state of emergency” on sexual and gender-based violence, rape persists at crisis levels with most survivors denied justice, rapists avoiding prosecution, and hundreds of cases of rape going unreported due to pervasive corruption, stigma and victim blaming, Amnesty International said in a report published, today.
The report, “Nigeria: A Harrowing Journey; Access To Justice for Women and Girls Survivors of Rape” covers harrowing cases of sexual violence against women and girls, including a six-year-old and an 11-year-old who were attacked so viciously they died.
The report, made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt, reveals how harmful cultural stereotypes, failures of law enforcement to investigate rape cases, toxic misogyny and insufficient support for survivors, have created a culture of silence and impunity which continues to fail hundreds of women and girls every year.
“Concrete actions have not been taken to tackle the rape crisis in Nigeria with the seriousness it deserves. Women and girls continue to be failed by a system that makes it increasingly difficult for survivors to get justice, while allowing perpetrators to get away with gross human rights violations,” Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, said.
“The fear of not being believed, or even being blamed for being raped, is creating a dangerous culture of silence that prevents survivors from seeking justice. It is unacceptable that survivors of rape and other forms of gender-based violence face such a torturous ordeal to get justice, which only adds to their pain. The ‘state of emergency’ has proven to be an empty declaration, which has so far done nothing to protect women and girls in Nigeria.”
The report is based on research carried out between March 2020 and August 2021, including interviews with 14 women and girl survivors of rape aged between 12 and 42.
Amnesty International researchers also interviewed seven parents of child survivors.
Interviews were conducted in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Sokoto and Bauchi states.
Following the lockdown imposed to tackle the spread of COVID-19 in 2020, there was an upsurge in cases of rape.
In June 2020, Nigerian police said they had recorded 717 incidents of rape between January and May last year.
In April 2020, Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen said, at least, 3,600 cases of rape were recorded during the lockdown, while the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) received 11,200 reported cases of rape over the whole of 2020.
As reports of rape escalated across Nigeria, state governors declared a “state of emergency” on rape and gender-based violence in June 2020.
They also promised to set up a sex offenders register.
But over a year since their declaration, nothing has changed, as more cases of rape have been reported.
One victim, a 22-year-old microbiology student, Vera Uwaila Omosuwa, was raped and brutally assaulted in 2020 in a church near her home in Benin, Edo State, and died a couple of days later from her injuries.
Hamira, a five-year-old, was drugged and raped by her neighbour in April 2020.
Her injuries were so bad she could no longer control her bladder.
Barakat Bello, an 18-year-old student, was raped during a robbery in her home in Ibadan, Oyo State.
She was butchered with machetes by her rapists and died on 1 June 2020. Favour Okechukwu, an 11-year-old girl, was gang-raped to death in Ejigbo, Lagos State.
A 70-year-old woman was raped in Ogun State.
In May 2021, a six-year-old girl was raped to death in Kaduna State.
“The COVID-19 pandemic only exposed what has been going on for so long. Not only are women and girls being raped in Nigeria, but when they are brave enough to come forward they are being dismissed by police officers as liars and attention-seekers – slurs which inflict further injury,” Ojigho said.
Despite Nigeria’s international human rights obligation to enact, implement and monitor legislations addressing all forms of violence against women, women and girls continue to face discrimination in law and practice.
The definition of rape under the Criminal Code, which is applicable in the southern part of Nigeria, and the Penal Code, which is applicable in northern Nigeria, are both outdated.
The Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act expanded the scope and definition of rape but was silent on consent.
“Notwithstanding expanding the legal scope of the definition of rape the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act and other laws have limited jurisdiction. Even in states where the Act and other laws have been domesticated, there has been no enforcement or implementation,” Ojigho said.
Survivors and NGOs interviewed for this research said stigma and victim-blaming are key factors hindering the reporting of rape. Survivors shared distressing experiences of both, and told Amnesty International that they did not report due to fear of being disbelieved and blamed.
Children, who are increasingly becoming targets of sexual violence, face particular challenges in reporting these crimes because of a lack of reporting process that is child-friendly.
Some survivors said they were discouraged from seeking justice because of the toxic attitude of police officers towards gender-based violence, which manifested in humiliating lines of questioning and victim-blaming. In addition, decrepit police stations often lack the space for privacy that survivors need to make their statements.
Onyinye, a 14-year-old, was raped by her neighbour when she was sent by her mother to help fix his phone.
When Onyineye and her mother went to the police station to report the crime, not only did a female police officer slap the girl and pull her ear, Onyinye’s mother was also scolded for not giving her daughter a ‘good upbringing’.
Activists and lawyers have decried the poor quality of police investigations into rape cases. In some cases, perpetrators bribe the police not to investigate their crimes.
The police have also advised survivors and perpetrators to settle cases outside the scope of the criminal justice system, which only perpetuates violations of women’s human rights and impunity for rape.
Amnesty International is calling on Nigerian authorities to act now to protect women and girls from rampant sexual violence.
All reported cases of rape must be thoroughly, promptly, and impartially investigated and perpetrators must be prosecuted, and if convicted, sentenced with appropriate penalties.
Existing discriminatory laws must be repealed and followed up with a concrete implementation and enforcement framework.
Nigerian police must provide all necessary support to survivors and act in line with their code of conduct, by providing safe process of seeking justice for survivors to report rape and other gender-based violence and get justice.
Courts must ensure that cases of sexual violence are fairly and promptly prosecuted.
Any backlog in rape cases that may create unacceptable barriers for rape survivors’ access to justice must be addressed.
“Nigeria must protect women and girls by ensuring that perpetrators of rape face justice and survivors get protection and psychosocial and medical support. The tide of sexual impunity against women and girls must be turned now,” Ojigho said.

By: Nelson Chukwudi

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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo

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The Sole Administrator of Emohua Local Government Area, Barr. Franklin Ajinwo, has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to supporting community development, peace, and progress, describing it as his life’s calling.
Ajinwo made this known on when Okporowo Vanguard—a foremost association dedicated to driving sustainable development in Okporowo community—paid him a courtesy visit at the Council Secretariat, Emohua.

Speaking during the visit, the Emolga  Council boss advised the group to shun internal wranglings and leadership tussles, cautioning that such impediments could undermine their collective goals. He emphasized that unity is strength, and true power comes only from God.

Highlighting his ongoing efforts in repositioning standards within Emohua Local Government, Barr. Ajinwo commended Okporowo Vanguard for initiating plans to conduct large-scale skills acquisition training for young people in Okporowo. He assured them of his steadfast support towards such developmental initiative.

The former Chairman of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Rivers State stressed the need for selfless service, saying it is essential for achieving peace, unity, and development in any community.

He applauded the group’s vision of empowering youths through skills acquisition, aligning it with global best practices aimed at reducing dependency on white-collar jobs.

Earlier, the President of Okporowo Vanguard, Hon. Israel Emeji, outlined Barr. Ajinwo’s numerous and impactful contributions to the development of Okporowo community.

According to him, every family in the community has benefited from Barr. Ajinwo’s dedicated employment initiatives.

Hon. Emeji disclosed that during his tenure as Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA) and as NULGE Chairman, Barr. Ajinwo facilitated the employment of over five hundred (500) individuals from Okporowo community—a record that informed the association’s decision to honour him with the Excellent Leadership Award.

In a vote of thanks, the Secretary of the group, Dr. Okechukwu Godwin Amadi, praised Barr. Ajinwo’s outstanding leadership and unwavering support, both before and after his appointment as Sole Administrator.

He thanked him for the warm reception and appreciated members of Okporowo Vanguard for their strong turnout and continuous support for the present administration.

In their separate remarks, Barr. Kelvin Ajinwo, Chief Polycarp Ndala, and other dignitaries present prayed for God’s continued guidance and protection over Barr. Ajinwo, describing him as a divine gift to the Okporowo community.

They expressed hope that he would be granted even more leadership opportunities to further uplift the living standards of the people.

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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP  …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

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Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their  living conditions.

This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.

Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s

She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.

According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.

The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while  bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.

Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.

Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.

According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.

He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.

Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may  lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.

During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.

The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.

He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.

They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.

At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.

King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.

Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.

Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.

At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.

He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.

Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.

 

John Bibor

 

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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman 

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The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.

Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.

Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.

In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.

However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.

Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.

In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.

Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.

“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.

 

 

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