Federal lawmaker Ahmed Jaha (APC-Borno), representing Chibok, Damboa, Gwoza Federal Constituency of Borno in the House of Representatives, has apologised for comments he made attributing rape to women’s dressing.
Jaha, at an interview with journalists on Saturday in Abuja, recalled his comments at the debate that women should cultivate a habit of proper dressing to avoid unnecessary harassment from men who could not control themselves.
“I have made a mistake that has offended the sensibilities of fellow Nigerians and indeed, fellow human beings, particularly women who are our mothers, wives, sisters and daughters.
“While I totally reaffirm my position that rapists should face death sentences, I regret the part that talks about the dressing of women.
“I deeply apologise for this position, because as some have rightly argued, my comments, could imply that women who are victims, share the blame of being raped.
“This clearly, could not have been the intention of someone who suggested death penalty for rapists,” Jaha said.
Ekiti rules out plea, bail for rape
In another development, Ekiti state governor Kayode Fayemi says no convict for sex offences like rape would enjoy his powers of prerogative of mercy.
The governor made the declaration in Ado Ekiti, while signing the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Child Victims of Sexual Violence Bill 2020 into law.
He directed the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Wale Fapohunda, to henceforth oppose bail or plea bargaining for rape offenders in the state.
This is coming, just as the Governor, who doubles as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, (NGF), vowed to mobilize other 35 state Governors, to declare state of emergency on rape.
The governor said rape often led to untimely deaths and emotional trauma, and was beyond what government of a particular state can conquer alone.
He added that he would use his position as the Chairman of the Governors’ forum to rally support of his colleague governors, on the need to declare state of emergency against the menace in their respective jurisdictions.
Enugu police teams up with CSOs
Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Ahmad Abdurrahman, has assured Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) of the command’s partnership to check rape, defilement and other sexual offences against girls and women.
Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement on Saturday that the commissioner gave the assurance on when a coalition of CSOs led by Joy Ezeilo, visited his office.
Ezeilo, Founder of Women Aid Collective (WACOL), led the team in a peaceful protest against rise in rape, defilement and sexual abuse in the country to the commissioner’s office in Enugu.
The police commissioner also pledged that the command would do everything possible to bring perpetrators of rape, defilement and other sexual offences to book in the state.
Earlier, Ezeilo, whose group’s protest was titled: “Stand Still Protest against Rape, Defilement and Other Sexual and Gender-Based Violence’’, bemoaned the upsurge in cases of rape and defilement in the country.
She cited the recent gruesome rape and murder of 22-year-old, Miss Uwaila Omozuwa, in Benin, Edo State, a fresh undergraduate said to have been murdered in a church where she had gone to read.
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