65 girls raped in 11 months, activists demand justice
As many as 65 students were allegedly raped by their teachers across the country between January and November 2022.
The age of the victims ranges from two to 16 years old.
This is according to an analysis of media reports by our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday.
The PUNCH reports that despite the law recommending life imprisonment for the offense, cases of rape have persisted.
Our correspondent reported that on January 6, 2022, the Jigawa State Police Command disclosed that a 38-year-old teacher was arrested for the alleged rape and abduction of a student in Dutse, the state capital.
On January 12, 2022, an Osun State Magistrates Court was told that a teacher at L.A. Secondary School, Ipetumodu, Ife North Local Government Area of state, had raped a 13-year-old student.
Similarly, an Ogba Magistrate's Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of a 27-year-old primary school teacher who raped his eight-year-old student in the school toilet March 10, 2022.
Similarly, a 12-year-old girl who was raped by a teacher in Unguwan Fantaro in Kaduna State was also believed to have been pregnant in April 2022.
Similarly, in April 2022, the International Federation of Women Lawyers noted that more than 50 cases of teachers defiling students had been reported in Rivers State between January and April 2022.< /p>
State association president Adata Bio-Briggs called the situation discouraging.
She also cited the case of a seven-year-old girl who was raped by her teacher at a school in Ahoada, Rivers State.
Other cases include the case of a 16-year-old who was raped by a teacher at a school in Lagos. The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency revealed this on June 5, 2022.
In July 2022, the Oyo State Police Command arrested a Federal Government Girls College teacher for the rape of a 14-year-old student.
Other cases included the rape of a seven-year-old student by a teacher at a school in Bauchi State; and the rape of a 13-year-old student by a 45-year-old teacher in Niger State.
The director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, in a report entitled "Nigeria: A harrowing journey; access to justice for women and girls victims of rape", regretted that many rape victims are deprived of justice.
Ojigho added that hundreds of rape cases are underreported due to corruption, stigma and victim blaming in the country.
“Concrete steps have not been taken to tackle Nigeria's rape crisis with the seriousness it deserves. The system continues to fail children by making it increasingly difficult for survivors to obtain justice while allowing perpetrators to get away with gross human rights violations,” she said. p>
Gender equality activist Oluwabunmi Dara in an interview with The PUNCH said: "Over the years there has been an increase in the trend of sexual abuse in schools primary and secondary schools in the country. This only shows that our girls are not safe anywhere.
“School is meant to be a place where values are taught and where parents can comfortably leave their children in the hands of caregivers (teachers). However, the reverse is the case. It is all the more regrettable that despite the VAPP law and the other sentences recommended for this kind of act, the perpetrators continue. We need tougher penalties."
The Force's public relations officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, had yet to respond to our correspondent's inquiries at the time this report was filed on Monday, as messages sent to his phone line remained no response.
Our correspondent had sought to know the measures taken by the police to ensure the diligent pursuit of rape suspects across the country.
Please share this story:
As many as 65 students were allegedly raped by their teachers across the country between January and November 2022.
The age of the victims ranges from two to 16 years old.
This is according to an analysis of media reports by our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday.
The PUNCH reports that despite the law recommending life imprisonment for the offense, cases of rape have persisted.
Our correspondent reported that on January 6, 2022, the Jigawa State Police Command disclosed that a 38-year-old teacher was arrested for the alleged rape and abduction of a student in Dutse, the state capital.
On January 12, 2022, an Osun State Magistrates Court was told that a teacher at L.A. Secondary School, Ipetumodu, Ife North Local Government Area of state, had raped a 13-year-old student.
Similarly, an Ogba Magistrate's Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of a 27-year-old primary school teacher who raped his eight-year-old student in the school toilet March 10, 2022.
Similarly, a 12-year-old girl who was raped by a teacher in Unguwan Fantaro in Kaduna State was also believed to have been pregnant in April 2022.
Similarly, in April 2022, the International Federation of Women Lawyers noted that more than 50 cases of teachers defiling students had been reported in Rivers State between January and April 2022.< /p>
State association president Adata Bio-Briggs called the situation discouraging.
She also cited the case of a seven-year-old girl who was raped by her teacher at a school in Ahoada, Rivers State.
Other cases include the case of a 16-year-old who was raped by a teacher at a school in Lagos. The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency revealed this on June 5, 2022.
In July 2022, the Oyo State Police Command arrested a Federal Government Girls College teacher for the rape of a 14-year-old student.
Other cases included the rape of a seven-year-old student by a teacher at a school in Bauchi State; and the rape of a 13-year-old student by a 45-year-old teacher in Niger State.
The director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, in a report entitled "Nigeria: A harrowing journey; access to justice for women and girls victims of rape", regretted that many rape victims are deprived of justice.
Ojigho added that hundreds of rape cases are underreported due to corruption, stigma and victim blaming in the country.
“Concrete steps have not been taken to tackle Nigeria's rape crisis with the seriousness it deserves. The system continues to fail children by making it increasingly difficult for survivors to obtain justice while allowing perpetrators to get away with gross human rights violations,” she said. p>
Gender equality activist Oluwabunmi Dara in an interview with The PUNCH said: "Over the years there has been an increase in the trend of sexual abuse in schools primary and secondary schools in the country. This only shows that our girls are not safe anywhere.
“School is meant to be a place where values are taught and where parents can comfortably leave their children in the hands of caregivers (teachers). However, the reverse is the case. It is all the more regrettable that despite the VAPP law and the other sentences recommended for this kind of act, the perpetrators continue. We need tougher penalties."
The Force's public relations officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, had yet to respond to our correspondent's inquiries at the time this report was filed on Monday, as messages sent to his phone line remained no response.
Our correspondent had sought to know the measures taken by the police to ensure the diligent pursuit of rape suspects across the country.
Please share this story:
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