By Amaka Obi, Abuja
The Nigerian police force has arrested 799 suspected rapists and other offenders for gender-based violence across the country between January to May 2020.
This disclosure was made by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu on Monday during his address to State House Correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.
The IGP stated that the lockdown, had led to an increase in rape and other gender-based violent cases across the country.
He noted that men rape for various reasons and advised the public to work together with security personnels to contain these crimes.
“It has become public knowledge because of the COVID-19 restrictions. We have a surge in cases of rape and gender-based violence…
“The Nigeria Police, so far, from January to May 2020, we have recorded about 717 rape incidents that were reported across the country. About 799 suspects have been arrested; 631 cases conclusively investigated and charged to court and 52 other cases are left and under investigation.
“It is a very wicked offence, it is very serious offence. It is very wicked of an individual to engage in rape or defilement.
“There are a lot of causes. Some are doing it for ritual purposes, some are doing it because they are within the family and they see the victims and have the urge to go into it and do it. But such people should not be allowed to go scot-free.” He said
The meeting who also had in attendance, the Minister of Women Development, Dame Pauline Tallen, and her Information and Culture counterpart, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, mentioned that the Federal Government had started building a more solemn response to these crimes to reduce their numbers.