Abia Secures 30-Year, 10-Year Jail Terms For Two Child Defilers In SGBV Crackdown

The Abia State Government says it has recorded major convictions in its fight against sexual and gender-based violence, with two men jailed 30 years and 10 years respectively for defiling minors.

The Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Tuesday in Umuahia while briefing journalists after the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

According to Kanu, a 32-year-old man was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment for defiling a 13-year-old girl. In a separate case, a 35-year-old man from Akwa Ibom State bagged 10 years for defiling a 5-year-old girl. The judgments were delivered by a Family Court sitting at the High Court in Umuahia.

“This underscores our zero-tolerance policy towards sexual offences and should serve as a strong warning to perpetrators,” Kanu said.

The commissioner noted that the convictions are part of the landmark achievements of the Nchedo Sexual Assault Referral Centre at the General Hospital, Aba.

“The centre has continued to provide coordinated medical, psychosocial, and referral services to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence,” he stated.

He added that the facility is currently managing two new cases: a 60-year-old woman allegedly subjected to gang rape and a 5-year-old child who survived defilement.

The Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Ngozi Felix, said one of the convicts fled to Nasarawa State after committing the offence but was tracked and brought back to Abia by the police for prosecution.

She described the case as “one of the fastest recorded within Nigeria’s network of Sexual Assault Referral Centres,” crediting the outcome to collaboration among the Ministries of Health, Justice, Women Affairs, Poverty Alleviation and the Nigeria Police Force.

Felix also commended the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, for the command’s support in investigating and prosecuting sexual violence cases.

She reiterated that the Otti administration remains committed to protecting vulnerable residents and ensuring justice for survivors.

The Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, she added, is also implementing the state’s social protection framework to identify and support vulnerable residents needing urgent medical and humanitarian assistance.