Wives of 36 State governors on Tuesday protested against violence targeting women and children with a call on the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to create Rape and Sexual Offences Desks in Police Stations across the country.
According to them, where such a desk does not exist, appropriately trained personnel should be designated to provide timely support for victims.
“As Wives of Governors, we are committed to using our positions to support all efforts aimed at mitigating this scourge. Nigerian women and children deserve to live their lives free from abuse of any kind”, they emphasised.
The women pleaded that “all medical facilities be equipped with Rape Kits and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis to prevent rape victims from contracting HIV”, while “professional counselling services be made available to sexual violence survivors.”
While imploring the Attorney-General of the Federation and State Attorneys-General to fast track cases of rape and defilement, the wives of governors demanded the setting up of Special Offences Courts for rape and defilement cases.
They advised that such cases should be charged to the courts and heard without undue delays.
Their position was contained in a statement signed by Bisi Fayemi, wife of Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Kayode Fayemi; Chair, Northern Governors Wives’ Forum, Amina Abubakar and Chair, Southern Governors Wives’ Forum, Betsy Obaseki, which was obtained by The PUNCH in Abuja.
The statement copied the First Lady, Aisha Buhari; Senate President, Ahmed Lawan; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamilla; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Mohammed and IGP.
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Others who received the statement included Chairman, Nigerian Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Solicitor General of Nigeria, Dayo Apata.
The statement reads, “We have observed with dismay, the intense levels of violence against women and children in the country. As mothers, we empathize with survivors of these heinous acts and urge them to be courageous in speaking up, no matter how long it takes. We salute them.
“We lend our voices to that of our First Lady, Aisha Buhari, who recently called for action to be taken on the increasing rate at which women and children are being sexually abused in Nigeria. On a daily basis, we are inundated with cases of defilement (of even babies of six-month-old), rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment and murders of women and children.
“It is also worrisome that women and children with special needs have also become targets of sexual violence. We note with concern that in spite of the existence of laws at the federal level such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2015 as well as legislations at State level to protect the well-being of women and children, perpetrators continue their despicable acts with impunity.
“On the rare occasions when incidences of rape are reported, victims are intimidated and shamed into silence. As concerned mothers and citizens, we hereby appealed for Rape and Sexual Offences desks to be created in police stations across the country where they do not exist, and that appropriately trained personnel are designated to provide timely support for victims.
“We call on the IGP to direct the Nigerian Police to treat rape and defilement cases with the speed and seriousness such cases deserve, in order to ensure justice for victims. We implore the AGF as well as State AGs to fast track cases of rape and defilement. We also urge the setting up of Special Offences Courts for rape and defilement cases, and for such cases to be charged to the courts and heard without undue delays.”
