The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has assured that it is resolute in its quest for justice for a 14-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by a cleric in Gwagwalada Area Council of the territory.
In a statement on Thursday in Abuja, Mandate Secretary, Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, said the case would be pursued to a logical end.
The accused cleric, Prophet Amos Isah of the Prophetic Victory Voice of Fire Ministry in Gwagwalada is reportedly in police custody.
Benjamins-Laniyi said; “This commitment is in tandem with Section 1 of the Child Rights Act, 2003. FCT will not harbour and provide a safe haven for any paedophile, whoever he or she may be, when caught.
“We will ensure that justice is served at all times when the rights of our children are violated.
“I am following up with the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN and President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria PFN, FCT Chapter over the issue.
“I have also gone to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution to the Federation and Deputy Commissioner of Police Rita Emesim, in-charge of Gender, all in pursuit of justice for the rape survivor.
“I have equally directed the Director, Child Department of the Women Affairs Secretariat to visit the family of the victim.
“The director had visited the family, discussed and assured them of the FCTA’s commitment to getting justice for their only daughter.”
Benjamins-Laniyi noted that the matter of adolescent girls is a priority intervention for her secretariat because of their vulnerability at that stage of development.
“This is a priority for us. We shall follow it through. Nobody will be covered,” she said.
She also warned that a legal action would be taken against those sharing the pictures of the survivor on social media, particularly warning one Isaiah Gbangbala, a social media influencer to stop posting the victim’s pictures on his face book page in an attempt to discredit her, describing it as simply “cyberbullying”.
“The survivor is not only traumatised but also facing serious health challenges after the incident.
“She had been bleeding accompanied by severe pains and had to be pulled out of school and rushed to the hospital for medical attention,” she stated.
Vanguard reports that the cleric was detained few weeks ago following a petition by the victim and her parents, alleging that the suspect lured her into his office and raped her on May 26.
The victim, a Senior Secondary School II student, was a member of the church’s Media Unit.
According to her, the suspect gave her N3,000 after the act, threatening to kill her should she reveal the incident to anyone.
