Laws that will ensure that rape cases in the country are no longer bailable are underway. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister of State, Ramatu Aliyu, disclosed this on Tuesday during a book launch titled: ‘My COVID-19 Story: Voice Of Hope and Resilience’, organised by the Helpline Foundation for the Needy in Abuja.
Aliyu hinted that laws were underway to ensure that established cases of rape were no longer bailable in the country to serve as a deterrent to culprits.
Represented by the Deputy Director Administration in the office of FCT Minister of State, Mrs. Maria Ogbonnaya-Ngwu, Aliyu said the FCT administration has established a centre to address cases of girls who were abused or suppressed.
According to her, “It is also gratifying to know that our dear President, Muhammadu Buhari, in him lies a man that believes in the worth of the girl-child. We have been able to present to him various cases of gender based violence in the Federal Executive Council.
“Let me assure you that laws will soon be rolled out, to serve as deterrent to culprits that are guilty or people found culpable of abuses of the girl-child. Unlike before, the rape case becomes ‘bailable’ now we are working towards that it would no longer be a bailable offence.
“In the Federal Capital Territory, we have been able to give succour to the girl-child, we have been able to encourage the girl-child, we have been able to make them believe in themselves. The girl-child is not subordinate to any other child. The administration will continue to boost this and continue to preach this experience and embark on advocacy.”
The minister commended the Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) for taking the initiative in bringing young girls together to pen down their own experiences during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic.
In her remarks, the founder and President of Helpline Foundation for the Needy, Jumai Ahmadu, lamented that the unexpected outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has re-defined global health and lifestyle.
She, however, stressed that governments across the world had adopt concrete measures to stop the spread of the virus and reduce the negative impact on the socio-economic life of their citizens.
Ahmadu noted that the virus has dymistified technologies of the advanced countries, including developing nations, adding that if there was anything the virus had thought to humans, it was the supremacy of God.
The founder assured that Helpline Foundation for the Needy would continue to champion the rights of the girl-child despite challenges posed by the outbreak of the virus.
The book chronicled different experiences of young girls during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
Dozie Emmanuel
