Nasarawa govt says it will fully prosecute rapists

Concerned by the number of rape cases recorded in 2020, the Nasarawa State government says it has put in place structures to ensure rapists are adequately prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.

Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, stated this in an interview with newsmen in Lafia.

Kana, who decried the situation in 2020 across the state, blamed the rate to the collapse in social values of the society, adding efforts are on to mitigate the outrageous cases for a better society.

“There are certain crimes that are as a result of a collapse in the social values of our people, and to address them will also require some form of value change in the way we think, the way we act, the way we behave and interact with one another in the society,” he said.

Kana said the state government was doing its best to see to the protection of women and children through domestication of the Child Rights Law and Violence Against Persons (VAP) Law, which prescribes life imprisonment for perpetrators of rape.

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He, however, said the law has limitations. He warned traditional rulers and religious leaders who are fond of interfering with investigations regarding rape or criminal proceedings to desist from it.

“A practical instance is where witnesses are either being intimidated, or the witnesses are being admonished by traditional arm or religious leaders to forgive and forget a case with serious offence as rape,” Kana said.

The commissioner noted that religious leaders have a major role in curtailing these cases, as he advised that they preach less of poverty and prosperity and preach more on values.

On the issue of separation of power between the arms and tiers of government, the commissioner said the administration of Governor Abdullahi Sule has more respect for the arms and abides by the provision for the separation of power for effective governance.

According to him, Governor Sule does not interfere with the running of the local government councils since their autonomy was granted them as evident in the management of their own resources and affairs.

“As for the arms of government which are the executive, legislature and the judiciary, the relationship has become even smoother after The Summit of Arms which took place on 30th of September and 1st of October 2020,” Kana said.