By MARY ALIYU

The Niger Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Hadiza Kuta, has confirmed the arrest of a police officer serving with the Niger Police Command for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl.

Hajiya Kuta disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in her office in Minna on Monday.

She said two other suspects were also arrested for allegedly raping the same girl.

According to her, the victim was repeatedly raped by the three suspects before the matter was reported to the ministry.

The commissioner explained that the victim’s parents reported the case to the ministry for intervention, which led to the suspects’ arrest.

“The parents told the ministry that their efforts to seek justice were consistently obstructed, which prompted them to seek the ministry’s assistance,” she said.

Kuta expressed concern over the rising cases of rape involving minors and teenagers.

She lamented that attempts were being made to divert attention from the rape allegations by accusing the victim of stealing livestock.

According to the commissioner, the suspects took advantage of the girl after buying chickens from her.

She stressed the dangers of street hawking, especially for girls.

The commissioner also lamented that the individuals accused of rape were often granted bail shortly after arraignment.

She said such practices deny victims and their families justice and embolden perpetrators to continue the act.

“It is distressing to observe that cases of this nature frequently cause significant psychological trauma, undermining the educational aspirations of young girls.

“The future of these children can be irreparably damaged by the actions of the perpetrators,” she stated.

She assured the victim’s family that the ministry would pursue justice on their behalf.

“As part of its intervention, the ministry has relocated the victim from her community to ensure her safety and has placed her under protective custody,” she revealed.

Kuta said the girl would receive comprehensive medical care, psychological evaluation, counselling, and other support services to assess the physical and emotional impact of the abuse and aid her recovery.

She stressed the need for a thorough investigation, noting that the charges filed against the suspects would determine the strength of the prosecution’s case in court.

“The ministry hopes justice will prevail and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the rights and welfare of the victims,” she noted. (NAN)

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