Vice Chairman of FCT Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Grace Ike on Wednesday charged lawmakers at the national and state levels on the need to prioritise the establishment of sexual offences courts across the country in a bid to tackle the menace of sexual abuse in the country.
Ike who gave the charge in Abuja during the unveiling of a book titled: ‘Tears from the Grave’, written by Lemmy Ugbegbe, organised and ‘Men against Rape Foundation’, suggested that the sexual offences court can be modelled after successful initiatives in Lagos and other regions.
Ike who doubles as Chairman, House of Representatives Press Corps, said the book demonstrates the collective resolve to confront and eradicate this pervasive issue.
The book is a collection of poems on sexual and gender-based violence in memory of Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akpagher and several other victims aimed at creating awareness to comprehensively tackle the vice in society and dedicated to the memory of victims of SGBV.
Ike, who was emotional as she made her address, commended the Men Against Rape Foundation and the organizers of the event for their commitment to shedding light on the harrowing experiences of SGBV victims.
She expressed worry over the alarming statistics on sexual abuse and urged that all hands be on deck to ensure that the problem is addressed.
She said: “The statistics are alarming – a recent survey in Nigeria revealed that 31.4% of sexually active adolescent females and 5.7% of males experienced forced sex (rape) at sexual initiation.
“Shockingly, female adolescents living with HIV are disproportionately affected by this violence. It is truly heartbreaking when individuals, regardless of age or gender, fall victim to such abhorrent acts.
“The normalisation of sexual violence is spreading like wildfire, leaving victims in unimaginable physical and psychological anguish.
“Every day, we are confronted with distressing accounts of girls and women enduring unspeakable trauma due to sexual violence. What’s even more disturbing is the growing trend of perpetrators committing murder, and killing their victims after these heinous acts—an act that must be condemned in the strongest terms.
“SGBV knows no boundaries—it transcends age, ethnicity, colour, socioeconomic status, and geography.
“While the list of victims in Nigeria is extensive, many cases remain unreported due to fear of stigma and inadequate support systems.
“Despite existing legislation imposing severe penalties for SGBV offences, prosecution rates remain dismally low. Victims often shy away from reporting due to fear of stigma and the arduous legal process.
“I am particularly troubled by the absence of a government-funded compensation scheme for victims of sexual and violent crimes in Nigeria. This is a critical gap that demands urgent attention from our policymakers.
“Furthermore, civil society organizations such as the Men Against Rape Foundation play a pivotal role in advocating for the rights of SGBV victims and ensuring they receive the justice and support they deserve,” she said
She expressed deep appreciation to Lemmy Ugegbe and the dedicated team at the Men Against Rape Foundation for not just coming up with this initiative but for their relentless pursuit of justice.
“I’ve followed your trajectory, especially on the case of Karen, a teenage victim who also lost her life as a result of rape and many other cases. You people are doing an extremely difficult job but I pray that God will continue to give you the courage, strength, financial enablement and grace to accomplish this onerous task.
“Together, let us stand united against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. We must continue to strive for a society where every individual lives free from the fear of violence and injustice,” Ike said.
The late Karen’s mother, Mrs Vivien Akpagher, said she was still living through the pain of losing her daughter and expressed gratitude to everyone that has continued to support her.
“I was pained when I lost my daughter. Moreso when I went through her bible and saw her marking of that which I fear most has happened to me. I have struggled through the years.
“God has been with me because the bible tells me nothing happens to me without him being aware. Though at some point I found that really hard I must say.
“We are here to remember Keren, my friend confidant and daughter. It has been over two years of an unending storm but I thank God because I have had friends that have held my hands through the darkness called grief.
“The grief may be unending but I am happy I have you all here to hold my hands as I go through it,” she said.
In his remarks, Executive Commissioner Corporate Service and Administration of the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Dr. Kelechi Ofoegbu, averred that sexual abuse is a very serious issue that must be urgently addressed in society.
Ofoegbu the chairman of the occasion, underscored the need to ensure social justice for all Nigerians, especially victims of rape.
“We do need to wait for the grave before we recognise the tears that are already inherent in the victims during their lifetime.
“How well do we know the people around us when you explore abuse there are two parties, the abused and abused. But there is also a third demographic which is the observers.
“We need to intervene timely enough to prevent tears from the grave. We need to understand the sensitivity and sensibility of people around us we will be alive to listen and discern when there is a change that calls for help.
“We should care enough.We usually say victims should speak up but how about when they cannot speak, when they need another to give a voice in that circumstances. Are we sensitive enough to be that voice. Do we care enough? I charge us all to be more humane and aware and sensitive.
“All around us people are crying out in pain. sometimes that pain is domiciled in silence. Please let us intervene while there is still time and while they’re still here with us so we don’t have to wait to commemorate years from the grave.”
In his address, Mr Lemmy Ugbegbe who authored the book explained that the essence of the book is to provoke thoughts and get everyone to discuss the uncomfortable issues and seek solutions.
He said: “We promised to seek justice for Keren and also to seek justice for 13 year Elizabeth Ochnanya who was raped and drugged repeatedly. We promise the two people will not be mere statistics.
“We would continually remind the nation of their cases. The book documented the stories of grief of the families of victims. This has been one of the most challenging things in my life.
“Before Ochanya died, a video was done by the Africa Independent Television where she was interviewed. In that video, she told the graphic story of how father and son raped her continually. That video was tendered in evidence in Benue State High Court Makurdi.
“In law tendering such a video and it is admitted in evidence in law it is called a dying declaration. It is as though you testified while alive. But when the judge delivered a judgement he said unfortunately Ochnanya is not alive to tell her story. And the judge released the accused persons.
“Whereas on that same day at the Federal high court in Makurdi, NAPTIP had charged the wife of the accused person to court for negligence and criminal conspiracy that led to Ochnanya being abused. This court today in the same day freed Andrew Ogbuja.
“The federal high court convicted Mrs Ogbuja for criminal conspiracy and negligence leading to the rape. Two different courts. the same day, two decisions. So the accused of rape was let go while in the other court, it came to a conclusion that she was raped and punished the woman for keeping quiet over the situation.
“The book is inspired by my experience giving therapy, friendship, and support to Keren’s mother and the kids,” he said.
He pointed out that the law stipulates that there should be support for families of victims.
“Over three years after the police have not given the mother of Karen an official report of what happened to the daughter. That is another leg of injustice.
“We are not afraid of being called by the police. We are on the path to the truth. if they want to charge we are ready for it.
“The fight to rid the society of SGBV and the conspiracy of key government functionaries including the police is such that if you do not have the courage to speak, society would be worse off for it.
“So I have decided over time that the struggle to fight against injustice and to rid society of it is my life and I am committed to it. and this is one of the demonstrations of my commitment,” he said.
Also speaking, NUPRC Executive Commissioner, Development and Production, Engineer Enorense Amadasu, underlined the need for synergy in the bid to tackle the monster by ensuring that perpetrators of the heinous acts are held accountable for whatever happens.
“Every tear that falls from the eyes of a victim echoes the pain of countless others who have suffered in silence and these have basically been buried under layers of shame and stigma
“There are still many out there today. This thing is still happening but they cannot come out to say this is what is happening today and that is why the onus is on every responsible actor in society to get up and fight for justice such things happen we have to have the courage to embrace them and bring them back to themselves and see how we can reposition them not to lose self-confidence.
“Today we refuse to let those tears go unnoticed or unacknowledged. The tears demand justice and compassion and that we all rise and fight these devilish acts and every one of us needs to do this to change the society for good.
“Let us not forget that being every story of pain lies a glimmer of hope, a spark of resilience that refuses to be extinguished and that is why today we want to encourage our sister and every one of us that our sister lives on. Let us understand that she lives on,” he said.
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