Child Protection Network (CPN) in Cross River State has raised the alarm over seven reported cases of underage girls raped in Akampka Local Government Area of the state within 21 days.

The state Chairperson, Child Protection Network (CPN), James Ibor, said statistics given to him by Chairperson of Akampka LGA showed the incidents occurred in different communities in less than a month, from October 30 to November 20, 2021.

According to him the victims, whose ages ranged from 4 to 17, were raped by men, now in police custody awaiting for trial.

“The most recent one was a seven-year-old (name withheld). A 27-year-old man, simply known as Nsika, raped her. The culprit had earlier raped the sister who is four-year-old and that was the second time he was doing it,” he said.

Ibor, who is also a Child Rights Activist, said with population of about 300, 000, coupled with unemployment, Akamkpa local government has always been known for Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG).

So many children have been branded as witches and killed in Akamkpa, so many girls have been raped and killed in Akamkpa.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, told The Guardian her office had not been briefed on the cases but was sure that they are being handled by the Akampka district office.

(The Guardian)