Abia secures conviction of two child sexual offenders

The Abia State Government has secured the conviction of two child sexual offenders, who were sentenced to 30 and 10 years’ imprisonment respectively in separate defilement cases, in what it described as a major breakthrough in the state’s campaign against sexual and gender-based violence.

One of the offenders, a 35-year-old man from Akwa Ibom State, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by a Family Court sitting at the High Court in Umuahia for defiling a five-year-old girl, while another 32-year-old man received a 30-year prison sentence after being convicted of defiling a 13-year-old girl.

The Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Tuesday in Umuahia while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

Kanu said the convictions underscored the administration’s zero-tolerance policy towards sexual offences and served as a warning to perpetrators.

He noted that the convictions were among the landmark achievements of the state’s Nchedo Sexual Assault Referral Centre at the General Hospital, Aba.

“The centre has continued to provide coordinated medical, psychosocial and referral services to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence,” he said.

The commissioner disclosed that the facility is currently handling two fresh cases involving a 60-year-old woman allegedly subjected to gang rape and a five-year-old child who survived defilement.

He added, “The Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection has continued to implement the state’s social protection framework by identifying and supporting vulnerable residents that require urgent medical and humanitarian assistance.”

Speaking on the convictions, the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Ngozi Felix, said one of the convicts fled to Nasarawa State after committing the offence but was tracked and returned to Abia by the police for prosecution.

She described the prosecution as “one of the fastest recorded within Nigeria’s network of Sexual Assault Referral Centres,” attributing the outcome to collaboration among the Ministries of Health, Justice, Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as the Nigeria Police Force.

Felix also commended the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, for the command’s support during the investigation and prosecution of sexual violence cases.

She said the Governor Alex Otti-led administration remained committed to protecting vulnerable residents and ensuring justice for survivors of sexual violence.