Over 80 Women, Girls Raped Since Jan – Coalition

By Chuks Ekpeneru

A Coalition of Civil Society Groups, has raised alarm over the increase in incidences of rape and violence against the girl-child.

The group said that between January and June this year, over 80 women and girls between two and 80 years old have been reported raped.

They comprise ActionAid, in conjunction with other civil groups, including TeacherNG, Girl-Child Africa, Connected Development, Enough is Enough Nigeria, Stand to End Rape, Silver Chip Fox, Yiaga Africa, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation and Education on Vaccine Foundation, Women Advocacy Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, Malala Fund, Heir Women Development and Disability Rights Advocacy Centre, as well Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI).

They made their position during a protest at the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) headquarters in Abuja and demanded that the federal government, as a matter of urgency, should declare a state of emergency on gender and sexual-based violence.

They cited the recent rape and brutal murder of 23-year-old University of Benin undergraduate, Uwaila Omozuwa, in Benin City, the Edo State capital, as well as the rape of a 12-year-old girl by 11 men in Jigawa State, to show that Nigerian girls are endangered.

According to ActionAid Country Director, Ene Obi, “Women and girls need more than promises; we need an urgent declaration of state of emergency in every state in Nigeria to accelerate investigation, arrest and prosecution of offenders.”

Manager, Women Rights Program Action-Aid, Nkechi Ilochi-Omekedo, while addressing journalists, also bemoaned the unabated rape cases, saying one in 10 women are being sexually violated, adding:

“We are saying enough is enough. We are not at war, but with what is happening every day, it appears as though we are at war.”

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