Gombe State Police Command recorded 40 cases of rape between January and July 2017, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Austine Iwar, has disclosed.

Iwar made the disclosure on Thursday in Gombe in his address at the 2017 Law week lecture organised by the state branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).

He said that a fortnight ago, the police arrested a 70-year-old man, who committed rape.

He added that in the course of investigation, the police discovered that the old man had raped up to 10 girls in same environment.

The commissioner expressed concern at the increasing rate at which minors are raped in the state.

He called on the state government to as a matter of urgency, “do something to curtail the crime.’’

In his speech at the occasion, Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo, urged the NBA to look into the issue of inmates awaiting trial in order to decongest the prison.

Dankwambo, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Charles Iliya, commended the NBA for organising the event, saying it provided opportunity for lawyers in the state to interact.

In his address, the chairman, NBA Gombe state chapter, Haruna Sale, urged members of the association to maintain ethical standard of the profession

He said that as part of efforts to maintain ethical standard, the chapter had constituted a committee headed by a High Court Judge to look into petitions written against lawyers in the state.

Update news