The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has confirmed that some rape cases in Nigeria are for ritual purposes, even as he promised to rally round other security agencies as well as stakeholders to deal drastically with the culprits.
The police boss, who spoke to newsmen today, June 15, at the presidential villa, Abuja, admitted that restrictions of movements because of the outbreak of coronavirus had resulted in the surge in the cases of rape and gender-based violence.
“It is a very wicked offense. 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 Scott free.”
Mohammed Adamu said that the police had always handled rape cases even before the surge, adding that between January and May this year alone, the police recorded about 717 rape incidents across the country and that about 799 suspects have been arrested.
According to him, about 631 cases have been conclusively investigated and charged to court while 52 cases are under investigation.
“The police and other security agencies and other non-governmental Organisations have been collaborating, to see to it that these cases of rape and gender based violence are dealt with.
“The 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.”
The Inspector General of Police called on Nigerians who have come across any victim of sexual offenses or rape or gender based violence, to quickly report to law enforcement agents.
According to him, keeping such information without reporting it will give room for the perpetrators to continue to commitment the offenses.
“I am just to inform you that government is doing something about it and you can see me with the ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and Women Affairs Development, Pauline Tallen.
“From now onward, national partnership with every stakeholder is what we are going into and not only within the country but within the subregion. “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 government is doing something seriously to curtailed this type of offense.”
