The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, on Monday, said the Federal Government is stepping up action against rape, as Police arrested 799 culprits from 717 reported cases.
Adamu stated this while speaking with State House Correspondents after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on the increasing rate of sexual and gender-based violence, particularly in Nigeria.
The government at last week’s meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), said it would take action to deal with rape cases, including the domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPPA) of 2015 in all the 36 states of the federation in order to ensure rapists face deserved punishments for their actions.
The action arose from a memo from the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, to FEC for approval, following the outrage that has greeted the high cases of rape and gender-based violence in the country, as a result of the lockdown necessitated by the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Adamu blamed rape cases on the lockdown occasioned by the global Coronavirus pandemic
“The Nigeria police so far from January-May 2020, we have recorded about 717 rape incidents that were reported across the country; about 799 suspects have been arrested, 631 cases conclusively investigated and charged to court and 52 cases are left and under investigation.
“It has come to the public knowledge now that because of the COVID-19 restrictions, we have surged in cases of rape and gender-based violence.
“These are cases that are now coming up but we want to let members of the public know that, rape and gender-based violence have been there.
“The law enforcement agents have been dealing with these cases. In most cases, members of the public are not aware of the actions that the law enforcement agents have been taking.
The increase in rape cases the Police Chief said had increased interagency collaboration between the police and other security agencies, including non-governmental Organisations.
“We want to see to it that these cases of rape and gender-based violence are dealt with,” he said.
Adamu noted that “NGOs and CSOs that have the capacity to deal with this kind of offenses, have been cooperating with law enforcement agencies in capacity building, management of victims of rape and similar offenses and procedures for collecting evidence, towards successful prosecution.
According to him, the “government has taken the matter to another level now because of the scourge we have noticed”
He appealed to Nigerians that have come across any victim of sexual offenses or rape or gender-based violence, to quickly report to law enforcement agents. “Because, keeping it without reporting it will give room for the perpetrators to continue to the commitment the offenses.”
“It is a very wicked offence, it is a very serious offense, it is very wicked of an individual to engage in rape or defilement.
“And there are a lot of causes. Some are doing it for ritual purposes, some are doing it because they are within the family and they see the victims and have the urge to go into it and do it. But such people should not be allowed to go scot-free.
“I am just to inform you that the government is doing something about it and you can see me with the ministries of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and Women Affairs Development, Pauline Tallen.
“From now onward, a national partnership with every stakeholder is what we are going into now and not only within the country but within the sub-region.
“We have to partner with organizations that are involved in this. We know we have been working seriously with UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) and other civil society organizations.
“So, just to tell you that the government is doing something seriously to curtailed this type of offense.
