Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, the Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, has said perpetrators of rape should face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrent to others.
Kaigama, made the call in at Charles Lwanga Parish, Apo Abuja, also urged Nigerians to pray for the victims of sexual crimes.
He said while we call for prayers for victims of sexual crimes, we hope that the perpetrators of the crime would face the full wrath of the law.
“We hope they will be reformed and through our prayers, they will be delivered from the bad spirit that leads them to commit such horrible sexual crime.’’
Kaigama said the increased cases of rape was frightening as a tender three months old baby was said to have been raped in May.
The Archbishop said that the Inspector General of Police disclosed recently that the Police arrested 799 rape suspects between January and May, 2020.
“The rape culture is dehumanising, rape inflicts lifelong untold psychological trauma on the victims; rape is not only a grievous sinful act, but barbaric and a criminal act.
“The case of a student of the University of Benin, Uwaila Omozuwa, on the 27th of May, 2020, was reported murdered by unknown persons as well as other cases of rape and even gang rape is a symptom of unGodly and dysfunctional society.
“President Buhari in his democracy speech had expressed displeasure against rape and violence against women in the country, especially of the minors.
“Recently, Pope Francis was concerned about child abuse worldwide and on the 7th of May, 2019, he issued an Apostolic letter – ‘You are the light of the World’.
“In his letter, he acknowledged that the crime of sexual abuse offended our Lord, causes physical, psychological and spiritual demand to the victims and harm the community of the faithful,’’ he said.
Kaigama said the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja had formulated a policy for safeguarding minors and vulnerable persons, in compliance with the directives of the Pontiff.
He said the Archdiocese had inaugurated a committee in this regards.
