Abia court sends two child offenders to prison for up to 40 years

The Abia State Government has convicted two men for sexually assaulting children. They received sentences of 30 years and 10 years in separate cases. This is seen as a big win in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence in the state.

One man, 35 years old and from Akwa Ibom State, got 10 years for defiling a five-year-old girl. The other man, 32 years old, was sentenced to 30 years after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl.

Okey Kanu, the Commissioner for Information, shared this news on Tuesday in Umuahia. He spoke to journalists after a meeting with the State Executive Council led by Governor Alex Otti.

Kanu said these convictions show the government's strong stance against sexual crimes. He added that they serve as a warning to anyone thinking of committing such acts.

He pointed out that these convictions are part of the successes of the Nchedo Sexual Assault Referral Centre located at the General Hospital in Aba. "The centre has continued to provide medical, psychosocial, and referral services to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence," he said.

Kanu also mentioned that the centre is currently dealing with two new cases. One involves a 60-year-old woman who was allegedly gang-raped. The other case is about a five-year-old child who was a victim of defilement.

Ngozi Felix, the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, spoke about one of the convicts who fled to Nasarawa State after the crime. She said the police tracked him down and brought him back to Abia for trial.

She called this prosecution “one of the fastest recorded in Nigeria’s network of Sexual Assault Referral Centres.” Felix credited the quick outcome to teamwork among the Ministries of Health, Justice, Women Affairs, and Poverty Alleviation, along with the Nigeria Police Force.

Felix also praised the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, for his support during the investigation and prosecution of sexual violence cases.

She emphasized that Governor Alex Otti’s administration is dedicated to protecting vulnerable people and ensuring justice for victims of sexual violence.