The Abia State Government has recorded a major victory in its fight against sexual and gender-based violence, securing the conviction of two child sexual offenders who were sentenced to 30 and 10 years’ imprisonment respectively for separate cases of defilement.
Briefing journalists after this week’s State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti at the Government House, Umuahia, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said the convictions reflect the administration’s zero-tolerance stance on sexual offences and send a strong warning that perpetrators will be brought to justice.
According to him, one of the convicts, a 35-year-old man from Akwa Ibom State, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Family Court sitting at the High Court in Umuahia for defiling a five-year-old girl. Another offender, aged 32, received a 30-year prison sentence after being found guilty of defiling a 13-year-old girl.
Prince Kanu said the convictions represent significant achievements by the Nchedo Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), located at the General Hospital, Aba, which continues to provide medical care, psychosocial support and referral services to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
He further disclosed that the centre is currently handling two new cases involving a 60-year-old woman allegedly gang-raped and a five-year-old child who survived defilement. He added that the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection remains committed to identifying and supporting vulnerable residents in need of urgent medical and humanitarian assistance.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs. Ngozi Felix, revealed that one of the convicted offenders fled to Nasarawa State after committing the crime but was tracked down, arrested and returned to Abia by the Nigeria Police Force for prosecution.
Mrs. Felix described the convictions as among the fastest secured within Nigeria’s network of Sexual Assault Referral Centres, attributing the success to the strong collaboration between the Ministries of Health, Justice, Women Affairs, Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, as well as the Nigeria Police Force.
She also commended the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, for the command’s support in investigating and prosecuting sexual violence cases, reaffirming the Alex Otti administration’s commitment to protecting children and other vulnerable residents across the state.
