Legal aid provider decries high rate of rape cases in Kano

A legal aid service provider, Public Defenders’ Office (PDO) has expressed concern over high rate of rape cases in Kano state. Addressing Sabon-Gari community at a public awareness campaign, the PDO’s Administrator, Mrs Rotkang Kyunni, said the rate at which rape cases are being reported was alarming. Mrs Kyunni said the PDO had from inception […]

A legal aid service provider, Public Defenders’ Office (PDO) has expressed concern over high rate of rape cases in Kano state.

Addressing Sabon-Gari community at a public awareness campaign, the PDO’s Administrator, Mrs Rotkang Kyunni, said the rate at which rape cases are being reported was alarming.

Mrs Kyunni said the PDO had from inception to date received 200 cases of which rape case constituted 30 per cent.

She said, “From the establishment of the office in Kano in June last year to date the PDO have heard 200 cases and 45 cases were disposed successfully, while the remaining cases are still ongoing in various courts across  the state.”

She explained that the campaign was aimed at unveiling the activities of the PDO to Sabon-Gari community.

Kyunni urged the community to always respect rule of law in discharging their fundamental human rights.

She said, “We are in Sabon-Gari to create awareness about the legal services we render to people free of charge. We want people to know their rights and demand for them whenever the need arise.”
On his part, the Ward Head of Sabon-Gari, Alhaji Ya’u Muhammad commended the PDO for the gesture and assured support of his subjects to the activities of the public defenders’ office.

In a related development, the PDO has called on Giginyu community in Nassarawa local government of Kano state to also know their right and always fight for it whenever necessary.

Barrister Ibrahim Sagagi, who made the plea at a public awareness campaign organised by the PDO, held at Giginyu quarters, told the gathering that the PDO was established to render free legal aid services to the less privileged.

Sagagi explained that the PDO entertains cases within the state while cases from outside Kano could be transferred to other relevant organisations.