Abia State Polytechnic Student Rape: FENRAD Insists on Investigation and Justice.
Press Release
Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development, FENRAD, a pro-democracy, human and environmental rights advocacy group received with anger the news of the rape of a female student of Abia State Polytechnic allegedly by men of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Rapid Response Squad, RRS formation in Aba.
The ogreish act, according to FENRAD, was perpetrated when, on the pretext of investigating drug and substance abuse by students, the men of the RRS team stormed New Haven, a students’ lodge whereupon the poor victim was assaulted and raped and other students intimidated too.
Reacting to the terrible incident, FENRAD lamented that; “The illegality of such operation itself is not out of the question. While it is right to, from time to time, check drug and substance ab/use by students on campus, FENRAD does not think this is primarily the duty of RRS than that of a police drug unit or the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA created and designed by law to exercise the mandate.”
FENRAD, therefore, urged the state government as led by Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, Ph.D “to, as a matter of urgency, see to it that nothing is done in this matter to clog the wheel of justice.
“Investigation must be thoroughly carried out and the names or identities and ranks of the officers involved publicised and orderly room court trial commence in earnest. When and if found guilty, these men should be made to face the law. The name and nature of the operation, as well as who ordered it, must be known, and on whose order did the alleged rapists act? FENRAD seeks to know.”
Meanwhile, FENRAD commended the Wife of the Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu for her timely intervention and also for taking care of the medical bills of the victim, the Foundation, in addition to this, wants the First Lady to monitor and follow up the matter through her platform, Vicar Hope Fondation, which is at the vanguard of Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) advocacy and campaign in the state.
Abia has the legal instruments to take this matter up, having domesticated the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act of 2015. Again, this impunity by supposed enforcers of the law deserves to be legally questioned and the last of it heard.
FENRAD admonishes the Nigeria Police Force to see that justice is dispensed and will be willing to initiate – in that case, should the process fail to meet its expectation – a legal action as a rights group so that this poor victim, her family, the entire school community all find justice.
Closely, FENRAD is watching.
Signed.
Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor
Executive Director FENRAD.
Barr. Akande Femisi
Head Corporate Accountability and Human Rights Enforcement
FENRAD
Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD Nigeria
Tel;/WhatsApp 08033383708,07062949232,
Email; fenradnigeria@yahoo.com
Info.fenradnigeria@gmail.com
Info@fenrad.org.ng.
Website; www.fenrad.org.ng
Follow us at Twitter,Facebook, Instagram and linkedlin @FENRADNIGERIA.
Foundation For Environmental Rights,Advocacy & Development(FENRAD)
Plot 101 Jubilee Road,By mosque Street, 2nd Floor,Front ,Aba,Abia State.
SOUTHEAST REGIONAL OFFICE;
Plot 11/13 Ezillo Avenue,Independence Layout,Enugu,Enugu State;
Tel;08033383708,07062949232,08056480504,,
Email;fenradnigeria@yahoo.com,info.fenradnigeria@gmail.com. www.fenrad.org.ng
Facebook@fenradnigeria Twitter@fenradnigeria Skype;@fenradnigeria.
