Police records 133 “violence against children” cases in 8 months

A total 133 cases of violence against children were reported to police between January and August this year, the Nigeria Police Force admitted.

Some 141 survivors were involved in the cases reported, said Inspector-General of Police Solomon Arase.

A total 155 suspects were arrested within the period, and 115 of them charged to court. At least 21 are still under investigation.

Arase made the statement at the declaration of the Year of Action to End Violence Against Children (VAC) in Abuja.

The admission comes amidst statistics in the Nigerian Violence Against Children survey showing huge incidence of physical, emotional and sexual violence targeted at children younger than 18.

Earlier, VAC goodwill ambassador and chairman of the governing board of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, said nearly 30% of cases reported to the commission were about abuse of children.

The police said its new gender unit was helping it interface with  desks in welfare departments dealing with gender-based violence.

But it said it wanted deeper investigation into cultural factors that encourage violence against children, social factors that prevent them from speaking out and legal challenges that complicate timely resolution of cases dealing with violence against children.