Ekiti govt seeks monarchs’ support to end sexual violence, land grabbing

The Ekiti State government has sought the cooperation of traditional rulers in the state on making the state uninhabitable for culprits in rape, defilement and the menace of land grabbing. These social vices, the government argued, were at the centre of many violent cases in the state. The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr […]

The Ekiti State government has sought the cooperation of traditional rulers in the state on making the state uninhabitable for culprits in rape, defilement and the menace of land grabbing.

These social vices, the government argued, were at the centre of many violent cases in the state.

The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Olawale Fapohunda, who stated this yesterday during an interactive session with the state’s traditional rulers at the Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti, said the state was experiencing disturbing incidence of rape and child defilement, which he said has become a challenge to the core values of the Ekiti people.

Fapohunda, “We are vigorously working on the issue of wife battering, because our legislation in that regard is not adequate. But the issue that saddens us most is rape and child defilement. It is becoming an embarrassment to the state; it challenges our values. Worse is that it seems we are all used to it. We have even come to a stage in Ekiti State where we are not shocked that an old man is having carnal knowledge of a two-year-old child.”

He said government was seeking the assistance of traditional rulers because it had realised that legislation alone cannot tackle the menace. “We are vigorously prosecuting sex offenders. In many cases, I, as the Attorney-General, will personally lead the prosecution against any sex offender,” he said.

Responding on behalf of the traditional rulers, the Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju and the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, appreciated the government’s move to curb rape and child defilement, as well as land grabbing in the state, adding that the menace had been major concerns of many community leaders.