Wife of Kebbi Governor, Hajiya Zainab Nasiru-Idris, has expressed concern over report of 39 cases of rape recorded in the state in six months.
She stated this when officials of the National Union of Kebbi State Students (NUKESS) and National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Kebbi chapter, paid her a courtesy visit, on Tuesday in Birnin Kebbi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the figure was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Hajiya A’isha Muhammad-Maikurata.
The governor’s wife described the figure as alarming, saying that rape remained an ugly trend in Gender Based Violence (GBV) that needed the support and cooperation of all to eliminate.
She urged the state government to take appropriate measures to reduce the menace and punish perpetrators.
The governor’s wife also expressed concern over the number of out-of-school children in the state.
She urged parents to be alive up to their moral and religious responsibilities and support government in providing quality education to their children.
According to her, lack of access to quality education is among the causes pushing young people into banditry, kidnapping and other social ills.
The governor’s wife promised that the state government would ensure that students learn skills and trades in their lower levels of education to become self-reliant and move away from social vices.
While assuring that she would come up with a programme to tackle some of the social challenges, Nasiru-Idris charged the students to join hands with her to create awareness on hygiene and GBV.
Earlier, Muhammad-Maikurata said the 39 rape cases were recorded between January and June, regretting that GBV had become rampant across the state.
She charged the students to be vigilant, and assist in exposing any case with a view to putting an end to the menace.
A retired permanent secretary, Hajiya Rafa’atu Noma, berated some lecturers sexually exploiting students.
She said there should be collective efforts to curtail the menace of GBV.
On her part, wife of the Secretary to the State Government, Hajiya Asma’u Bala-Yauri attributed the problems of education to many factors, adding that teachers in Kebbi needed training and retraining to impart qualitative education.
She advised people especially the privileged ones to pay back to the society by assisting their former schools in whatever form, to enhance access to education.
Earlier, the students, pointed out many problems militating against the growth of education in the state.
Bahalura Muhammad-Marafa, President, NUKESS lamented over shortage of teachers, hostel accommodation and basic infrastructure in most schools in the state.
Also, Zinatu Yusuf of NYCN advocated for free menstrual pad to young girls to address the problem of menstrual hygiene among young girls in the state. (NAN)
