The Speaker, Ekiti House of Assembly, Mr Funminiyi Afuye, on Wednesday reassured Ekiti people of the assembly’s resolve to always be at the forefront of the fight against rape through the enactment of relevant laws.
Afuye gave the assurance during an advocacy visit of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to the Assembly Complex in Ado Ekiti.
The NHRC delegation to the Assembly was led by its Ekiti Coordinator, Mr Biodun Adigun.
The speaker, who appreciated the commission for the visit, described rape as a terrible and unimaginable act with assaults perpetrated against minors.
He said the Ekiti Government, wife of the Governor, Mrs Bisi Fayemi, and the state Assembly had been frontliners among their contemporaries on steps to proffer solutions to the menace.
“The solution we are proffering is the passage of so many bills into laws, not only recommending compulsory treatment of victims, but grave punitive measures against offenders.
“A state of emergency has been declared against rape and other related cases in Ekiti and life sentence awaits anyone found guilty,” Afuye said.
Adigun, said that the advocacy was part of the Commission’s mandate to address all forms of abuses.
He said his visit to the law-making arm of government was to secure its support and also to campaign against the prevalence of gender-based violence and sexual assault in the country.
“Nigeria has recorded about 750 cases of rape from January 2020 till date, which may increase, if the heinous crime is not nipped in the bud.
“I commend the state Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, for his efforts and also other stakeholders, particularly Mrs Fayemi for their dedication to winning the war against gender-based violence and sexual assault,” Adigun added. (NAN)