Group faults judgment in Nasarawa rape case   - ·Guardian News Online  |  April 24, 2008

A CHILD's rights advocacy group, the Defence for Children International - Nigeria section (DCI Nigeria) has condemned the judgment handed down by an Upper Area Court in Lafia, Nasarawa State in the case of the rape of a nine-month old baby. The court had sentenced the rapist, 27-year old Stephen Takure to 12 months in prison with an option of N3,000 fine.

In a statement signed by the DCI-Nigeria Executive Director Ini Onuk, the group said: "It is not only sad, but shocking that in this day and age, members of the Judiciary can still take such ignoble cases with levity and render judgment that are preposterous. We wish to ask the judge who gave this sentence - is this meant to punish, deter or encourage the rapist?

"DCI-Nigeria, as an organisation working to defend, promote and protect the rights of the Nigerian child, hereby strongly condemns this ruling and calls on the government of Nasarawa State to abide by the provisions of the Child Rights Act which they have passed into law.

We are glad that the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development has found it critical to decry this judgment and we do hereby join our voices in this regard.

"We therefore call on civil society, community leaders, women organisations, UN and other related agencies, to join in objecting to this and such outrageous rulings even as we ensure the implementation of the Child Rights Act in all the states of the Federation," the statement concluded.

DCI Condemns Child Rape in Kano State

Defence for Children International – Nigeria Section (DCI-Nigeria) expresses its shock and concern over the rape of children in Kano State, Nigeria.

Reports say there has been an increase in the number of girl-children aged between three (3) and eleven (11) who are raped by men aged between 45 and 70 years old. To say this is an abomination in a society such as ours is to say the least.

These actions are in direct violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Nigeria is a signatory. DCI calls on the government of Nigeria to commit to promoting and protecting the rights of the child, bringing those responsible for this crime to justice, offering compensation and rehabilitation to the victims, and instituting safeguarding mechanisms to ensure that national and international laws protecting the rights of the child are fully enforced and implemented in the country.