Group advocates severe punishment for rapists

From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

Executive Director of a Kaduna-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Children Union Foundation (CUF), Mrs Vicky Boniface has lamented the high rate of rape cases in the country, calling on the Federal government to introduce severe punishment on rapists.

According to her, the incessant rape cases in the country are worrisome, saying urgent action needs to be taken to end the menace.

Mrs. Boniface also frowned at how government at all levels, were not taking any serious step at nipping the menace in the bud as done in countries like India and China, where severe punishment have been introduced.

She made the call at the weekend, during official opening ceremony of the foundation’s office in Kaduna as she appealed to government to be supportive of issues that affect women and children in the society.

On peace building among followers of the two major religions, she said if government was really serious about building lasting peace as it claims, let it invest heavily on women and children as they are the ones mostly hit in any crisis.

“Looking at the happenings in our time, we really need to sensitize our children on the need to live together in unity. Children are for everybody, just like the saying, we must all wake up to this clarion call and devote our time and resources to educate and empower our mothers and children to have a better tomorrow,” she said.

In his remarks, Chief Imam of Mando, Kaduna, Mallam Muawiya Nasir Mando, called on clerics to teach their followers the word of God and to intensify prayers so as to achieve the kind of peace the country desires.

He added that as long as people patronised same market, transportation and other activites without any discrimination, they should also learn to live together happily, beyond religion and ethnicity.