Following reports of incessant rape ans defilement cases in Nigeria, the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti and Frontline lawyer, Aare Afe Babalola has joined Nigerians in condemning of rape, describing it as a scourge ravaging the country.
Expressing his displeasure on incessant rape cases, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said one way to curb the menace could be cutting off the penis of rape offenders.
This was contained in a statement released by the frontline lawyer on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti state.
Babalola said rape constitutes a threat to humanity, adding that the federal government should declare a state of emergency on it.
The legal icon recalled the cases of University of Benin student Vera Omozuwa, and Barakat Bello of the Institute of Agriculture, Research & Training, Ibadan, who were both gang-raped and killed.
He said, “The prevalence of rape cases is not only alarming, but worrisome. It is worrisome in the sense that it is inconceivable that a male could forcefully rape someone and goes further to kill her. Today, we have cases where fathers rape their daughters which to me, is abnormal. We have young men raping young girls and killing them, why?
“Every concerned Nigerian is worried by the problem. You can imagine your daughter going to school and she gang-raped. This is totally unacceptable and we should rise with one voice to fight the menace.”
Sokoto State recorded 155 rape cases between January and June this year, the commandant of the state’s Hisbah Commission, Dr Adamu Kasarawa, said on Wednesday.
Nasarawa was speaking at a capacity-building forum for male advocates and champions against sexual and gender-based violence, organised by Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development in Sokoto.
“In sustaining the war against rapists, the Lagos police command has in the last one month arrested 30 suspects for rape and defilement,” Commissioner of Police Hakeem Odumosu said on Wednesday at the command headquarters, Ikeja.
Among the rape suspects was 27-year-old Adeniyi Ajayi alias Ogologo who previously served a jail term.
Ajayi was said to have robbed and raped many women, sometimes in the presence of their husbands.
He reportedly once entered a company premises, gagged the employees, stole from them and sexually harassed the women, telling them that he had other members of his gang outside the building.
In Osogbo, the Osun State capital, police yesterday arraigned a 50-year-old man, Aina Taiwo before a Magistrates’ Court for alleged attempt to rape a school teacher.
The suspect pleaded not guilty, and the Magistrate, Mr Opeyemi Badmus, adjourned the case to July 9.
In Kano a man also appeared in court charged with raping three women.
In Adamawa, police paraded 23 persons charged with rape and homosexuality.
One Oman Suleiman, 46, also appeared before a high court in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja charged with sexually assaulting his two daughters.
In Kano a high court on Wednesday sentenced one Abdullahi Magaji to 14-years jail term for raping a six-year-old girl.