C’River: Man Rapes, Infects 13-year-old Girl with HIV

• UNICEF seeks exposure of violence against children
Bassey Inyang in Calabar and Segun Awofadeji in Gombe 


Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, has disclosed that a suspected rapist, Mr. Edet James Asuquo, has been charged to court for allegedly raping and infecting a 13 years old girl with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

The commissioner said Asuquo, whom he said has no fixed address, and whose age he did not disclose has been charged to court.

In Gombe, journalists have been charged to sustain efforts aimed at exposing violent actions against children until the ugly trend is brought to an end in the State.
Child Protection Specialist at the Bauchi Field office of UNICEF, Mrs. Ladi Alabi gave the charge in Gombe yesterday during a one day Media Dialogue on Violence against Children and training on Ethical Reporting of Children’s issues.

On the HIV infection, the Police commissioner said during interrogation that the suspect confessed that he was aware he was HIV – positive, and had vowed to spread the virus as much as he could.

The commissioner said the result of a medical examination confirmed that the rape victim had been infected with the virus.
The commissioner who addressed journalists on the achievements by the State Police Command in the past two weeks, said during the outlined period, a total of 25 suspects were arrested for various offences ranging from “armed robbery, attempted murder, assault on police officer, possession of fake currencies to unlawful possession of fire arms”, among others.

He said items recovered from some of the arrested suspects include five AK 47 rifles, seven magazines and 200 hundred rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, four locally made pistols, one locally made single barrel gun, one battle axe, eight live cartridges, one Mercedes Benz truck with registration number DAL 222 XA loaded with suspected stolen wheat and N380, 000 cash among others.

He appreciated members of the public and good spirited citizens for the useful, and timely information they offered, coupled with their relentless intelligence gathering that led to the apprehension of the suspects and recovered items.

“Cross Riverians are admonished to stay off crime and be upright in their dealings as the Command is determined and focused in dislodging all criminal elements and mischief makers across the state who are bent on disturbing the peace in the land,” the commissioner said.

In Gombe, journalists have been charged to sustain efforts aimed at exposing violent actions against children until the ugly trend is brought to an end in the State.
Child Protection Specialist at the Bauchi Field office of UNICEF, Mrs. Ladi Alabi gave the charge in Gombe yesterday during a one day Media Dialogue on Violence against Children and training on Ethical Reporting of Children’s issues.

According to Mrs. Alabi, journalists should use their expertise to ensure that the public is aware of the consequences of violence meted on children who are the future of the country.

She said the public looks up to the media and their contributions in reporting all forms of violence against children, as such, the contributions and reports of the media would go a long way in bringing to an end or reduce the menace in Gombe state.

Earlier in her welcome remarks, the Gombe State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs. Rabi Daniel who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Hajiya Laraba Ahmad, said the campaign on ending violence against children must be consistent, continuous and carried out with passion.

The Director, Child Protection Development at the Gombe State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mr. Janis Mayamba, said the Campaign to End Violence against Children by the Gombe State Government was designed and targeted at various stakeholders, including the media who are needed as tools of spreading the gospel of ending violence against children.

The one day Media Dialogue and Training programme was organized to provide participants with in-depth information on the findings of the Nigeria Violence Against Children, 2014 Survey, which was conducted by the National Population Commission