US LNG exports surge but will buyers in China turn up?
By Felix Onuah
ABUJA, June 10 (Reuters) - Nigerian Minister of Women
Affairs Pauline Tallen called on law enforcement to expedite
rape cases as they spiked during lockdowns aimed at containing
the spread of the new coronavirus.
Her call followed protests https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-politics/nigerian-campaigners-stage-protest-over-sexual-violence-idUSKBN23C1ZR
earlier this week over sexual violence in West Africa's most
populous nation and a series of high-profile rapes.
Tallen said rapes had reached an "alarming rate" three times
the typical level as women and children were locked down with
their abusers. Every state in Nigeria was affected, she said.
"We are calling for legal intervention," she said. "From
details that we have, there are hundred of cases that are within
our courts that have not been addressed and out of each one
case, be sure that there are 10 that have not been reported."
She also called on judges and the police to treat reported
rapes with gravity.
Earlier this week, Nigeria's most senior policeman ordered
the immediate deployment of additional investigators to
specialist gender violence desks.
Tallen raised the issue at Wednesday's cabinet meeting and
said that President Muhammadu Buhari supported urgent action.
"Government will take decisive action at the highest level
to protect women and children in this country," she said.