By Asmau Ahmad
The Child Protection Advocates (CPN) have expressed deep concern over the rising number of rape cases in Gombe state.
CPN Adviser in the state, Alhaji Yaya Hammari, told newsmen that the situation was becoming scary and frightening.
“Rape is becoming too incessant and persistent; it is certainly not good for the girl-child,” Hammari said.
Hamman expressed regrets that perpetrators of the act were usually unpunished.
“Even when the perpetrators are apprehended, no punishment is meted on them; that encourages them to do even worse things,” he added.
He blamed the situation on parents’ attitude and observed that most parents would rather keep quiet about it because of traditional norms and the fear of stigmatization.
He said that the CPN was committed to ensuring that such evils were severely punished, and called for more advocacy visits to local governments as well as religious and traditional rulers to enlighten
them on the need to report rape cases.
On her part, the State Coordinator of CPN, Hajiya Fatimah Birma, regretted that the network’s effort against rape always came to naught.
According to her, rather than helping CPN to deal with the perpetrators, parents will come to beg the group to leave the matter.
The state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Malam Abdulhameed Ibrahim, said the state had reviewed 190 laws from among those adopted from the defunct Bauchi State.
“Initially, the prescribed punishment for rape was two years, but now we have reviewed it to 14 years,” he said.
