By Tajudeen Adebanjo
Network for Democracy and Development (NDD), a Muslim civil society group, has described the recent upsurge in rape cases as frightening.
National Coordinator Tajudeen Alabede urged the government to prosecute perpetrators.
He said: “We are worried by the statistics released by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, saying ‘from January to April 2020, 529 rape and domestic violence cases have been taken to court’. The figure was for only Lagos just in four months!
“Those cases were the reported ones, how many go unreported? It is, therefore, important that the government does more to protect and rehabilitate victims of rape.
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While stigmatisation of victims should be a punishable offence, victims and their families should be encouraged to report to appropriate agencies. It is the rapist, rather than the victim, that must be shamed.”
Alabede also called on the government, religious bodies, traditional institution and women groups to provide leadership to address this ugly descent into the abyss as a matter of urgent national importance.
The network commiserated with families of the late Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, Barakat Bello and other victims of rape, praying Allah to comfort them and set the country on the path of rectitude.
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