Adamawa State Records Zero Conviction For 175 Rape Cases In 2021

Despite recording 175 rape cases in 2021, Adamawa State was unable to succefully prosecute any of the offenders.

According to findings, 158 children between the ages of two and 14 were among those raped in Adamawa State during the period.

Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of Adamawa State Hope Centre, a government agency created to manage rape and related sexual offences, Aliyu Dahiru, while reacting to the issue said, “175 cases of rape were recorded between January and December, 2021.

“Of the numbers, 163 survivors were females; 13 of them were males. Interestingly, 90 per cent of them were underage persons.”

Saso Ali, Permanent Secretary, Adamawa State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, said the state Gender Based Violence incident data indicated that survivors in 86 per cent of the cases desired access to justice and received services from the police.

Ali said that 89 per cent of the perpetrators were charged to courts after receiving services from the police.

“By the reports, I received from Adamawa Hope Center, the Gender-Based Violence is on the increase in spite of the sensitisation and awareness creation on the ills of rape by government agencies and development organisations.

“We are yet to secure a single conviction on the cases,” she said.

Ali urged stakeholders to intensify sensitisation on the recently domesticated Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act by creating awareness in the communities.

She also charged the police and Ministry of Justice to carryout discreet, speedy trial and conviction of the perpetrators to deter others.

The VAPP law prescribes a minimum of life imprisonment for an adult convicted for rape, while minors would get a 14-year jail term.