Nigeria Has Recorded Only 18 Rape Convictions

Read news as A human rights lawyer, Evans Ufeli, has said that despite an overwhelming reported cases of sexual assaults, Nigeria has recorded only 18 rape convictions in its legal history, Premium Times reports.

Mr. Ufeli spoke, Sunday, at the 5th edition of ‘The Conversation,’ a quarterly public dialogue that focuses on child abuses and parenting in Lagos.

“The Nigerian criminal code recommends life imprisonment for rape convicts and 14 years for attempt rape, but only 18 people have ever been convicted in Nigeria,” said Mr. Ufeli, who had been handling sexual assault cases for over a decade.

The lawyer said ‎that sexual abuse matters in law courts are sometimes frustrated by the government, which usually acts as the prosecution.

“Government agents who are saddled with checking sexual assaults, especially the police and public prosecutors, compromise their profession,” Mr. Ufeli said.

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Several child rights advocates who spoke at the gathering urged parents and guardians to allow their children, while they are still in their formative years, to be vocal about sexual matters as a solution to the rising cases of child abuse.