THE recent death of Glory Adekolure, a graduate of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, in the hands of yet to be identified persons who allegedly raped and murdered her, is not only disheartening but a sad reminder that in spite of the efforts to curb the heinous act, it has become alarming and a dent on the nation’s conscience.
According to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs report, 27,698 cases of sexual and gender based violence was recorded between 2020 and 2023 across the country, while the UN women reported 11,200 rape cases, including children who were raped to death in Nigeria in 2020. These unfortunate reports are indications that apart from non-state actors, terrorists and criminals who wreak havoc by killing, maiming and raping their victims across the country, sexual predation and molestation is rife.
Glory’s alleged rape and murder is most unfortunate and unacceptable. As a medium, we are completely in support of Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo State’s call on the Commissioner of Police to thoroughly investigate the circumstances that led to her death and fish out the perpetrators of the heinous and mindless act within seven days.
We are indeed saddened by her death and we condemn in strong terms, the dastardly act which does not portray us as a civilized society. Rape as an unlawful sexual act without the consent of one of the parties involved is reprehensible and deviants must be made to face the full consequences of the law.
We urge the police and other security agencies in Edo State to work in synergy to ensure that the yet to be identified rapists and murderers of the 22 year old graduate are apprehended and brought to book. The efforts of the police especially in Delta State which helped to ensure the arrest and prosecution of one AmechiOgo, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping his four year old daughter is quite commendable and we hope such a feat can be replicated in Edo State.
The Police and other security agencies in Edo State should intensify efforts in their investigations to ensure the speedy arrest of the criminals to serve as a test case on how ready they are to rid the society of sexual and gender based abusers. The arrest and prosecution of the alleged culprits will serve as justice for Glory and also help to assuage the trauma being suffered by her family members.
While we empathize with the family, we call on Edo State government to join States like Delta, Lagos, Ekiti and eight others that have enacted strict and severe laws to tackle sexual deviancy in order to limit the freedoms of offenders through a sexual offences data base. Harsher sentences should be imposed to serve as a deterrent to perverse members of the society.
There is also the need for our females to be conscious of their personal security at all times, as rape is mostly perpetrated by relatives, neighbours, family friends, associates and people who embody authority, power or societal influence. According to US Bureau of Statistics, the relationship between the perpetrators and the survivors is what affects the likelihood of reporting the crime.
Prevention of sexual assault requires concerted efforts of all stakeholders to put in place institutional framework to deal comprehensively with actual cases of sexual assault. This approach involves functional, skilled, and synchronized services which will include the criminal justice system, the police, social services and sexual assault services. The successful prosecution of perpetrators will serve as deterrent and hopefully prevent the next person from falling victim.
