The National
Human Rights Commission has expressed concern over the rise in cases of rape
involving minors across the country. The Executive Secretary of Commission,
Prof. Bem Angwe, who raised the alarm, urged law enforcement agencies to
conduct thorough investigation into the incidents in order to bring the
culprits to book. A statement from the Chief Press Officer in the NHRC, Fatimah
Agwai Mohammed, explained that the call came against the backdrop of the
reported death of an eight year old
girl who was allegedly raped to death by an unknown person in Ikot
Ekang, Etinan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Angwe called on the
Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to commence an immediate
investigation into the incident and other related cases. The statement noted
that “it was learnt that the victim was sent on an errand by her grandfather
Mr. Enobong Wilson at about 6.30pm on Tuesday only for her to be raped and
her corpse was found near an uncompleted building in their neigbhourhood.”Angwe
also directed the Akwa Ibom State Office of the NHRC to immediately commence
investigations into the matter.
However, he also urged parents and
guardians to cooperate with the NHRC in the quest to prosecute perpetrators of
the rape cases, noting that it had been observed that parents and guardians of rape victims always refuse to cooperate with
law enforcement agents in the prosecution of the culprits.
PUNCH 7/2/2014
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