Politics
AN interfaith specialist, Hajiya Ramatu Tijani, and some clerics in Kaduna State on Monday called for the review of the laws on rape.
Tijani made this call during an interview with newsmen in Kaduna. According to her, the review will ensure that rapists are adequately punished according to Nigerian laws, which will help to provide succour and save lives of women, girls and also boys from all forms of sexual dangers.
”Changing the old laws which are out-of-date with the times, would definitely make life better for women, children and all sexually molested victims in the country.
”Meanwhile, the law enforcement agencies and para-military should equally support the fight against gang rape and all forms of child molestation.
”All the humanitarian NGOs, corporate organisations, JNI, CAN, Council of Iman and Ulamas, association of women journalists, lawyers and wives of Nigerian military should sustain the hype of the campaign against all forms of rape in the society,” she said.
Tijjani also urged the print and electronic media as well as social media to sustain the hype, to ensure that all the relevant authorities took action to end molestation of women and children.
On his part, Mr Yohanna Buru, the General Overseer, Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry, Kaduna, said that there was need to use the Holy books (Bible and Qur’an) to tackle rape in the society.
According to him, both the Bible and the Qur’an have provisions that explained clearly how to discipline any criminal or rapist in the society.
He said all the holy books contain simple ways to address issues related to activities of rapists that are disturbing our children and women at home and other places.
“To end rape, perpetrators must be held accountable and this is by prosecuting sexual violence cases.
”We recognise rape as crime and send a strong message of zero-tolerance,” he said.
According to him, everybody should join hands to stop it as rape affect us all, regardless of gender identity, sexuality, economic status, race, religion or age.
Buru said that going back to our religious ways by using the teachings in the holy books would help to tame activities of all criminals and rapists.
He said that many young boys and girls including minors were victims of rape and that majority of rape cases took place in a room where there were no witnesses.
Buru added that there was unlikely to be video evidence that showed consent was not given.
“The cases of rape is on the rise in our society, we must change strategies to save the future generation,” he said.
Also, Malam Gambo Abdullahi, a Muslim cleric at Barnawa Kaduna, said that the Holy Qur’an had provisions to tackle the act of rape.
Abdullahi said there were Islamic ways to handle rapists, which needed to be used to curb the menace.
According to him, it is high time for Nigerian scholars to start advocating for the use of Holy Books in punishing rapists so as to protect all children and women. (NAN)
– Jun. 8, 2020 @ 13:09 GMT |
Tags: clerics urges review of laws on rape Interfaith specialist
