No fewer than 13 rape victims have been treated at
Funtua General Hospital in Katsina State from January to date, the hospital’s
Medical Director, Tijjani Bakori, has said.
Mr. Bakori told the News Agency of Nigeria in an
interview on Thursday in Funtua that most of the cases were severe.
He disclosed that some of the victims had to undergo
surgery in the hospital.
The medical director lamented that three of the rape
victims were admitted by the hospital in the last four days.
“This
signifies the magnitude of the problem in Funtua and environs, and it is
important for all stakeholders to intensify efforts to address the menace.”
According to him, all the victims were below the age
of 13 and mostly from less privileged families.
He noted that there was no presence of International
and National Non Governmental Organizations in the area to support the victims,
noting that respective families of the victims were left to shoulder the
burden.
He urged the Katsina State Government and local
councils in the area to ensure that the perpetrators were traced and severely
punished.
“A victim was
admitted on Monday, and another, aged 12, had undergone surgery in the hospital
on Wednesday because of the severe injuries she sustained,’’ Bakori said.
The 12-year-old was raped by a security guard while
the other victim, aged 13, was allegedly raped by her neighbour, one Dahiru
Lawal in Bagari area of Funtua on April 12.
While speaking, Jummai Musa, mother of one of the
victims said her daughter was sent to buy cooking oil when she was lured and
raped by Mr. Lawal.
She said that the victim lost a lot of blood and had
to receive blood transfusion at the hospital.
According to her, the suspect has a wife and three
children.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state,
Aminu Sadiq, did not respond to inquiries on the issue, but police sources in
Funtua confirmed that some suspects had been arrested in connection to the 13
rape cases.
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