Wives of the 36 state governors have called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to treat rape cases with the seriousness they deserve in order to ensure justice for the victims.
They also urged the Nigeria Police Force to be tactful and supportive in the handling of alleged sexual offences and take measures to prevent the intimidation of the victims by families and associates of the suspects.
They made the call in a statement by the wife of the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Bisi Fayemi; Chairman, Northern Governors’ Wives’ Forum, Amina Abubakar; and Chair, Southern Governors’ Wives’ Forum, Betsy Obaseki.
The wives of the governors lamented that women and children with special needs had become the targets of sexual violence.
They added that in spite of the existence of relevant laws at the state and federal levels, perpetrators of such offences had continued their despicable acts with impunity.
The statement read in part, “We are appealing for rape and sexual offences desks to be created in police stations across the country where they do not exist, and that appropriately trained personnel are designated to provide timely support for victims.
