Ekiti seeks traditional rulers support to end sexual violence

Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti

Worried over the increasing cases of rape and land grabbing in Ekiti state, the state government has sought the cooperation of traditional rulers in the bid to make the state uninhabitable for those rape and defile children.

The state is also seeking the traditional rulers support in curbing the menace of land grabbing which is at the centre of many violent cases in the state.

Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Olawale Fapohunda, stated this during an interactive session with the state’s traditional rulers at the Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti.

He said the state is experiencing high incidence of rape and child defilement which has become a challenge to the core values of Ekiti people.

Fapohunda stated that the Kayode Fayemi administration has zero tolerance for sex offences and all forms of violence against women and children, even as he disclosed other measures being put in place to curb the crime in addition to prosecution.

“Violence against women and children is a major problem that we are experiencing now in Ekiti state, we are vigorously working on the issue of wife battering because our legislation in that regard is not adequate.

“But, the issue that saddened us most is the issue of rape and child defilement. It is becoming an embarrassment to the state, it challenges our values and the worse part of it is that it seems as if we are all used to it.

It is the fact that we have all come to a stage in Ekiti state where we are not shocked that an old man is having canal knowledge of a two- year- old child.

“We know that legislation alone cannot do this, we are vigorously prosecuting sex offenders.

In many cases, I personally lead the prosecution against any sex offender because the Fayemi government has zero tolerance for sexual violence in the state.

Fapounda, while soliciting the support of traditional rulers in curbing the menace of land grabbing, said it is sufficient to turn investors away from the state.

He explained that most land conflicts are caused by people who do not have any title on the said land, but just want to forcefully grab the land, adding that if nothing is done urgently to curb the trend, it could lead to breakdown of law and order.

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