Vexed by the increasing rate of sexual attacks against young girls and boys by adults and the lack of concerted commitment on the part of the Nigerian Government to check the ugly trend, a development-inclined Non-Governmental Organisation has called on the wife of the country’s President to devote more time to battle this menace which has become a hydra-headed monster.

Making the call in a statement issued in the country’s capital, Abuja, the Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) counseled First Lady Patience Jonathan to stay out of local politics involving her state of birth – River – and rather work to become an international icon in the fight against rape of Nigerian youngsters.

The statement jointly endorsed by HURIWA National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and National Director of Media Affairs, Miss Zainab Yusuf, charged Dame Jonathan and wives of governors of the 36 states as well as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to embrace the fight against rape as an urgent national mandate. The rights group also tasked the nation’s judiciary and the hierarchy of the National Assembly to consolidate the extant laws against rape; ensure that police operatives are trained to tackle the menace and to ensure quick justice delivery in cases of rape.

HURIWA regretted that police operatives across the country are either ill-trained to investigate serial cases of rape and therefore undermine prosecution of offenders or the offices of the Federal Attorney-General and state Attorneys-General have failed to follow through prosecution of rape cases across board. It therefore appealed to the wife of the President “to show greater interest in fighting the menace of rape and ensure that the Federal Government declares a national state of emergency on rape and sexual violations of youngsters by Nigerian adult sexual predators.”

“We call on our dear First Lady to play less of politics in River State and to elevate the campaign against rape to a higher pedestal because of the frequency and severity of these crimes against humanity,” HURIWA said.

“We expect the wife of the President to use her national and international clout and visibility to wage relentless advocacy against rape of innocent Nigerian girls/boys and to compel relevant agencies to fight sexual offences and trafficking in persons for sexual slavery,” the group added.

•Photo shows First Lady Dame Jonathan.

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