RAPE, CHILD ABUSE: POLICE VOWS IMPLEMENTATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST PERSONS ACT.
The Nigerian Police force has said incidences of rape, women and child abuse, trafficking and other gender based offences which have been fallouts of violence against women and children would soon be a thing of the past following the passage of the violence against persons act.
A statement in this regard signed by the Force Public relations officer, Acting ACP Olabisi kolawole said, “With the passage of ‘violence against persons act’ by the National Assembly, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase, has reassured Nigerians that the Nigeria Police will strongly ensure full implementation of the act to see that offenders are appropriately prosecuted”.
The IGP gave the assurance at Force Headquarters when he received representative of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the DG of NAPTIP, the Director, Women & Gender Affairs, the Chief Magistrate of the Federal Capital Territory Judiciary, the Deputy Country Representative – UN Women and other stake holders in the fight against gender-based violence and violence against persons.
Towards this end, Arase confirmed that a technical team is already in place to look into all cultural inhibitions against proper prosecution of offenders saying the Nigeria Police Force has commenced the training of officers billed for Gender-based violence desks on diverse courses.
The IGP added that an e-library for the gender based desks’ is to be launched in December, 2015 to equip lawyers for proper discharge of their functions.
Responding, the stakeholders unanimously agreed for a definite collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force on a common front to fight the offence of gender-based violence and violence against persons; and to ensure that the public as well as security agencies appreciate the rights of persons.
END.
