Don't Agree On Out Of Court Settlement For Rape Cases, A/Ibom First Lady Charges Rape Victims

Akwa Ibom First Lady, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel 

Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji 

ABEOKUTA - The Wife of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Her Excellency, Martha Udom Emmanuel has assured the founder, Save Her Foundation, Rev. Fola Achudume of other governors' wives support on the online campaign against rape cases in Nigeria, just as she added that no rape case should be settled out of court.

Mrs. Udom Emmanuel said it is high time all stakeholders pay critical attention to the increasing cases of rape which has jeopardized the future of many victims.

The Akwa Ibom first lady maintained that, the menace has affected the mental health of many people especially women and the girl child who no longer feel secured advantage as a result of the demonic act against humanity. 

Mrs. Udom who informed that spouses of governors are throwing their weights behind the campaign against sexual harassment, violence against women, defilement, molestation and rape, called on religious organizations, traditional institutions, security agencies and professional bodies to ensure prompt report of rape cases, adding that no rape case should be settled out of court while culprits should be apprehended. 

Also speaking, Rev. Victor Adeyemi of Global Harvest International Church, saw the need for the reorientation of the boy child just as he underscored the need for men who engage in the immoral act to re-channel their energies to fruitful ventures. 

According to him, discipline, values and the fear of God must return to every home explaining that the society should start  treating the female gender rightly with total respect, love, care, passion, tenderness and desist from seeing them as sex toys that could be handeld anyhow just for pleasure.

In her submission, the lead facilitator of the online campaign against rape tagged "War Against Rape" Rev Fola Achudume wants mothers to be alive to their responsibilities, saying that a situation where toddlers and babies apart from women and grandmothers are being raped is demonic, dehumanising and cruel.

The Save Her Foundation founder also saw the  need for victims to speak out, government to empower and protect the  vulnerables in the society, justice system be strengthened to bring rapists to book and stakeholders to intensify awareness on the evil associated with every form of sexual immorality and the way out to put an end to the ugly trend.