The Oyo State government has called on residents to join hands with it in the fight against rape cases in the state and in Nigeria as a whole.
The state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Alhaja Faosat Sanni, made the call on Tuesday in Ibadan, while addressing newsmen on the increase in rape incidents in the state.
Sanni, who condemned the increase in rape and murder of children and women in the state, urged the victims to always confide in people around them.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two females were raped and murdered in their respective homes at Akinyele area of Ibadan recently.
They were Azeezat Shomuyiwa, a pregnant postgraduate student of the University of Ibadan and 18-year-old Barakat Bello, a student of Federal College of Animal Health and Production, Ibadan.
The commissioner described the two incidents as worrisome and disturbing, saying, “we are really saddened about the events and we empathise with the affected families.
“We implore the general public not to abandon the victims of rape. Rather, there should be conscious efforts by us all to support them.
“As a ministry, we have been fighting against all forms of violence against women and children, who are the most vulnerable in our society.
“We are in collaboration with security agencies and other relevant ministries to ensure that there is zero-tolerance for all forms of gender-based violence and sexual abuse on women and children,” she stated.
Sanni appealed to members of the public, especially students, to be calm, as all efforts were being made by security agencies to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of the rape incidents.