Mrs Julie Okah-Donli, Director-General (DG), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has cautioned Nigerians to desist from justifying rape or get arrested as suspects.
Okah-Donli said this while answering questions from newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.
She queried parents for not doing enough to take care of their wards and children, explaining that 90 per cent of rape cases were committed by uncles, fathers and relations.
According to her, many careless acts by parents are responsible for rape cases across the country.
She, therefore, said that the agency would approach the Ministry of Justice to push for the establishment of special court to try rapists.
Okah-Donli also called for life imprisonment instead of capital punishment for convicted rapists, adding that there was need to educate Nigerians, especially neighbours on rape issues.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agency’s toll-free lines to call during distress, especially as it concerns rape are – 07030000203, 0802255627847 and 08077225566.
The NAPTIP boss said that cases could also be reported on social media platforms such as the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, among others.
She, however, said that there was no national template of victims’ trauma response to share pain, adding that the duration of psychological trauma varies from individuals.
The recent cases of rape in Nigeria is just a harsh reminder of the reality that nowhere is safe in the country; not even our religious spaces, and this is quite saddening and terrifying.
Vera Uwaila Omozuwa was raped and murdered in the church. Barakat Bello got raped and murdered in her house. Jennifer also suffered the same unfortunate fate, and there are many more cases.
Most rape incidents go unreported in Nigeria because of stigmatisation and the fact that the wheel of justice turns slowly.
Also, in Nigeria, we don’t like to talk about rape issues, and when we do, it is done in whispers, and in private clusters. Every day, news outlets, churn out contents that chronicle this gruesome act on hapless and vulnerable victims.
It is heart-breaking to know that children and even adults live with such terror. Some others do not even live to tell the sad tales because they were murdered. We need to understand that rape causes a lot of damage to women.
The criminal and penal codes of 1990 are the laws guiding rape justice in Nigeria. The code is deficient in many ways.
There is need to beam the searchlight on some of the grey areas in the provision of the laws, loopholes in implementation and excesses of implementing agencies.
Sadly, good number of perpetrators of rape move about freely on the streets after committing the heinous act due to poor investigation and inherent defects in the criminal justice system.
Ignoring the issue will teach the younger generation that they can get away with such crimes. Victims should learn to speak up, as in so doing, the crime can be tackled.
While the discussions on rape is such a delicate issue, there are so many slippery paths for the accusers, the accused, and including the commentators. It seems like a daunting task to unravel the causes of rape because we have men who are sexually demented.
In Nigeria today, despite the laws, we have low convictions for crimes against women; a criminal who understands that the punishment for a particular offence is harsh will commit the crime only if he finds that there has been a poor rate of convictions for the crime.
It is time for us as a nation to stand up against the crime. We need to do something about it now. Beyond the conversations, we need a highly deterrent law to curtail the act of rape; if not, it would continue and become a culture. Most importantly, we need to educate the male folks and increase the awareness against rape.
Her ambition was to graduate from the University of Benin (UNIBEN) as a microbiologist and looked forward to a life of bliss thereafter. This was not to be. Last week, Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa’s young life was cut short by some rapists. This has thrown the university into mourning.
Omozuwa, a 100-level student of UNIBEN, was attacked at the Ikpoba Hill branch of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on May 27, where she had reportedly gone to study at night. The 22-year-old Vera’s head was allegedly smashed with a fire extinguisher by her assailants.
Vera Uwaila Omozuwa
CAMPUSLIFE gathered that when the church security officer went to collect keys from the keeper, he was told someone had done so. In the church, he met the victim in a pool of blood as well as saw the blood-stained fire extinguisher. After informing the keeper, Vera was immediately rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), where she revealed that some men had come into the church to rape her and subsequently hit her head with a fire extinguisher. She died on Saturday, May 30, after efforts to save her failed.
Outrage from students
Though UNIBEN is not in session due to the Covid-19 pandemic, its students have condemned the killing of Omozuwa.
A 100 level student of Physics Department, who gave her name as Queen Osagie, described the murder of Miss Vera as an act of wickedness and extreme evil.
She said the incident had made her realise that no place was safe.
“I was shocked and sad when I saw the news on WhatsApp. I couldn’t imagine such an act happening in a church. The perpetrators must be evil and without hearts to have taken the life of a fellow human being.
“No place is really safe. I pray that the culprits will be caught and punished severely so that they will understand that human life is not something to be destroyed at will,” she said.
Meanwhile, another student from Ekenwan Campus of the university, Bolaji Jokanola, condemned the rape and killing of Vera. He described the act as evil, which should not be condoned in a decent human society.
“For me, rape is not something to be excused or accepted as part of those things that happen in our society. But the most gruesome part is killing the victim after such an act.
“It shows the callous heart of the culprits. The society and necessary agencies should take this incident seriously and ensure that the suspects are apprehended and dealt with for such crime against humanity,“ said Bolaji.
Another student from the Ekenwan campus, who gave her name as Rukky, equally decried the dastardly act against the victim.
She called on the various agencies involved to ensure that the culprits were apprehended and punished. She advised parents to avoid religious bigotry.
“This act is pure evil. No matter what might have led to Miss Vera’s murder, it can never be justified. We all must try to be careful with whom we associate with as bad friends lead people into evil ways.
“I pray Miss Vera’s perpetrators will be caught and justice applied so that those out there with such evil intentions will eschew such misdeed.
“Parents, however, should be mindful of where their children go to, especially at night. Parents should also enlighten their children on issues like this,” she said.
Wisdom Obuetor from the Department of Political Science also condemned the killing of Vera.
“If I say that I was not shocked when I saw the news on WhatsApp, then, I will be lying.
“It is very surprising that such act was committed in a church of all places. This made me wonder if a church is just like any other building.
“I am so saddened and I pray for strength for the family at this trying time. I also implore everyone to avoid places that are lonely, especially at night, because evil doers work in the dark,” he said.
Physical and virtual protests from students
In a show of solidarity, students in Edo State organised a peaceful protest on Monday to decry the crime with placards bearing messages like: “Stop Raping Us”, “Stop Killing Us”, “No Means No,” as they marched to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to register their grouse and make sure justice is done. There were protests online too with the hashtag #justiceforuwa as people expressed their angst.
Sister accuses police of demanding money
Sadly, a sister of the deceased, Judith Omozuwa, in an online video, lamented that the police had requested money before they could do anything about the matter.
“They (the police) told us to bring money before they could act. It is very bad. And that would not be possible at all,” she disagreed.
Uniben VC, Adeboye react
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lilian Imuetinyan Salami, in a statement, described the news as shocking and condemnable, noting that such a heinous crime should not be condoned in the society. She commiserated with the family of the bereaved and prayed that God grants the victim a peaceful repose. She, however, urged students of the institution and the youth to be careful of the company they keep and the places they visit.
It was also gathered that a delegation was sent by the university management to commiserate with the family of the late undergraduate.
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, condemned the mindless crime and urged everyone to be calm as the church was already looking into the issue. He went on to pray for the family of the deceased.
“All I can do at this time is to pray for the family of Omozuwa and do everything possible working with relevant authorities to bring the perpetrators to book. I and my family members condemn this act strongly and urge everyone to stay calm as we are already looking into the matter,” he wrote on his Twitter page.
Governor Obaseki orders investigation
Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has ordered the police to investigate the death of Vera.
In a statement, the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said Obaseki had mandated the police and other security agencies to fish out the culprits, who perpetrated the act and bring them to justice.
“The governor is deeply saddened by the news of the death of Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa. We have been in consultation with the Edo State Command of the Nigeria Police and have ordered a thorough investigation of the matter to ensure that those who are responsible for this heinous crime are brought to book,” Osagie said.
He added that the government would ensure that the culprits were fished out and dealt with.
The governor expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has urged Nigerians to report cases of Rape within their vicinity to the agency or the nearest police station.
Mrs Julie Okah-Donli, Director General of the Agency, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, following the rising cases of rape in the country.
The DG said both old and present cases should be reported to the Agency.
According to the her, reporting the case of rape is the only way the trend can be stopped in the society; the agency will not compromise its work for anything if such case is reported to it.
“Rapists are now getting away with their illicit acts along with murder; these cases of domestic servitude are cases that take place behind closed doors.
“Our job in NAPTIP is to protect Nigerian men and women, we are not going to compromise our work if they report such case, we will ensure justice is done.
“Rape cases are not reported because of stigmatisation of the victims and this makes the cases to rise. Very soon, the name of rapists will be published with their pictures in the media,” she said.
She said that sex offender register had already been opened in the agency where the names of rape perpetrators were documented for further actions.
Okah-Donli however, appealed to the media to assist in creating more awareness about this trend to put the perpetrators on alert.
