Rights Organization Tasks Ekiti State Government on Sex Slavery

Ekiti State government has been tasked to check the growing cases of sex slavery in the state.

This was contained in a statement signed by Funke Afolabi, Chairman, Gender Justice for Development Organization.

She stated that criminal minded street urchins popularly called Area Boys have created hideouts in some areas of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state, Nigeria where young, under-aged girls are been lured with money and promises and taken into custody as sex slaves without the consents of their parents or guardians.

In her words, she revealed that “the population of these girls who have been turned into sex slaves are swelling by the day. They are mostly been enticed to their captors with money and drugs. Sex slavery is however gradually becoming rampant in the state today”.

“Nigerian girl-child had been victims of emotional, physical and sexual violence committed by their parents, teachers, neighbours, strangers and other children. In fact, Nigeria has the highest number of child homicide”.

She established that domestic violence remained widespread and often was considered socially acceptable in the country.

Issues of sexual violence are rampant in the country as a result of the failure of the government to protect the women and girl-child. She added.

According to a United Nation’s UNICEF report, 1 in 10 girls had experienced sexual violence at early stage of their lifetime in Nigeria; this she said is “worrisome”.

She therefore urged Ekiti state government, security agencies and other stakeholders to as a matter of urgency nip the ugly situation in the bud and parents to protect their wards especially, under aged girls who are the most vulnerable.

She charges the government to go after the perpetrators of this dastard and inhuman act with a view to arrest and prosecute them to serve as deterrent to who-be perpetrators in the future.
Signed,

She stated that criminal minded street urchins popularly called Area Boys have created hideouts in some areas of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state, Nigeria where young, under-aged girls are been lured with money and promises and taken into custody as sex slaves without the consents of their parents or guardians.

In her words, she revealed that “the population of these girls who have been turned into sex slaves are swelling by the day. They are mostly been enticed to their captors with money and drugs. Sex slavery is however gradually becoming rampant in the state today”.

“Nigerian girl-child had been victims of emotional, physical and sexual violence committed by their parents, teachers, neighbours, strangers and other children. In fact, Nigeria has the highest number of child homicide”.

She established that domestic violence remained widespread and often was considered socially acceptable in the country.

Issues of sexual violence are rampant in the country as a result of the failure of the government to protect the women and girl-child. She added.

According to a United Nation’s UNICEF report, 1 in 10 girls had experienced sexual violence at early stage of their lifetime in Nigeria; this she said is “worrisome”.

She therefore urged Ekiti state government, security agencies and other stakeholders to as a matter of urgency nip the ugly situation in the bud and parents to protect their wards especially, under aged girls who are the most vulnerable.

She charges the government to go after the perpetrators of this dastard and inhuman act with a view to arrest and prosecute them to serve as deterrent to who-be perpetrators in the future.

Signed,