The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed concern over the absence of any sort of state funded mechanisms targeted at the eradication of sexual defilement and violations of children in Imo State just as the Rights group has charged the Imo State governor to partner with the Chief Judge of Imo State to set up effective platform for the aggressive prosecution of adults engaging in criminal sexual defilement of minors in Imo State.

The rights group stated that Imo state government should be responsible and combat the increasing rate of sexual offences against children such as rape, sexual abuse or grooming and crimes that exploit children by adults for a sexual purpose whether in person or online. “We are concerned by the lack of any sort of effective fight by the Imo state government against these manifest sexual crimes against Imo state children by depraved adults which is why we believe the state should establish sexual offences and domestic violence specialised courts in Imo State to confront these hydra-headed monsters eating up the innocence of our children.”

HURIWA said it has observed in the last few years that many children are getting sexually abused by depraved adults in Imo State but there is no strong, effective and efficient investigative and prosecution processes coordinated by a state funded commission for the protection of children from sexual violations just as the Rights group said Imo State was very ripe to have specialised courts located in the three zones of Owerri, Okigwe and Orlu for the aggressive prosecution of sexual offenders who violate children sexually. The Rights group said efforts must be channelled towards checking the increasing involvement of children in sex trades which are organised by crime gangs.

HURIWA which commended the operatives of the Imo State Police Command for arresting three male adults for allegedly defiling a 12- year-old girl in the state just as the Rights group stated that cases of sexual violations of children especially young girls hawking items on the streets of urban centres of the state are rife but the absence of any sort of well-coordinated efforts by both the executive and judicial arms of government in Imo state to work in synergy to combat the menace has made Imo State the capital of sexual defilement of children in the South East.

“HURIWA is appealing to the female lawyers’ group in Imo State to work towards ensuring that the judiciary and the executive set up specialised court system to wage war against adults who frequently sexually abuse children in Imo State. The idea that young female students go into part time prostitution to train themselves through schools, is a hydra-headed monster that government of Imo state must eradicate by introducing scholarships for indigent students in the state owned tertiary educational institutions.”

HURIWA said the open admission of the state commissioner of police made in the form of a public plea for assistance to combat sexual defilement of children, is a concrete evidence that Imo state government needs to set up a specialised court system similar to what obtains in Lagos State to aggressively prosecute adults who sexually abuse and violate children just as the Rights group said the punitive measures including multiple life sentences which are issued by the Lagos special court against sexual defilement of children should be adopted by the Imo State judiciary since the same criminal code is operable all over southern Nigeria.

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