House Implores IGP To Nab Abia Rapists

Source: thewillnigeria.com
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE, HAFIZ RINGIM
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE, HAFIZ RINGIM

ABUJA, SEPTEMBER 22, (THEWILL) - Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim has been urged to commence immediate investigations to unravel the identity of five suspected cultists who gang-raped a Nigerian girl at Abia State University (ABSU) last month.

The appeal was made on Thursday by the Federal House of Representatives after it considered a motion on the case brought forward by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa. It equally saddled its Joint Committee on Justice, Human Rights and Women Affairs with the responsibility of investigating the matter and submitting a report within two weeks.


Dabiri-Erewa condemned the heinous act as “a debasement of womanhood,” and

charged the House to intervene by prevailing on the IGP to commence immediate investigation that would yield the arrest of the rapists. She said that rape cases have continued in the country because most victims are ashamed to speak out for fear of stigmatisation, and because culprits have always escaped scot-free.


Lawmakers Nasiru Ali Ahmed and Babatunde Adejaye also lent their voices to calls for immediate arrest of the culprits, urging relevant authorities to live up to their responsibility of imposing law and order on the country.

Honourables Christina Alaaga (PDP, Benue) and Halima Hassan Tukur lamented the weakness of the country’s laws on rape and called for more stringent legislation in order to eradicate the vice, which they noted was becoming rampant. “The law on rape should be revisited so as to curtail the rising incidence of the crime in the country,” Alaaga added.


Hon. Gideon Goni argued that rape ought to be perceived as one crime as serious as murder, and should be treated as such. He equally enjoined the House to revisit the law on rape, and recommended death penalty for culprits.

The only dissenting voice came from Hon. Simon Arabo, who appealed for caution in dealing with the issue since it was being handled by relevant authorities. “The issue is strictly within the domain of the state and the Police, so the House should not be brought into it,” he said.