Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has warned against rape or any form of violence against women in the state.
He also warned against cultism, stressing that no longer would they be tolerated.
The governor who spoke on the occasion of this year’s International Women’s Day Celebration said: “As women are pressing for progress, we are putting up a serious fight against rape.”
He said any victim of rape should be free to report to the appropriate authority, assuring that the identity of such victim would be protected.
“We are going to work seriously to make sure we put an end to rape. Please don’t fail to report it to us, we will not expose the identity of victims.
“We need to bring those people who are culprits to book.
“We must not continue to put our women through those pains. Even if it is an attempted rape, let us know. Nobody will threaten you and if anybody threatens you, report such a person to us,” he stated.
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The governor said the First Lady of the state, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel, had earlier launched a walk campaign against rape and violence against women.
The effort, he said, was to sensitise residents against the evil associated with rape and violence against women.
Emmanuel further commended the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Godwin Abraham, for setting up a designated court in Eket to try all cases involving rape and violence against women.
The governor pointed out that his administration was also mounting a war against cultism in secondary schools in the state.
According to him, the step was necessary to stop the recruitment of minors into cultism and from threatening teachers and innocent citizens.
Emmanuel, who also urged the women to go out to press for self-fulfilment and not be limited by cultural imposition, tasked them to talk to their children who are in schools to face their education to forestall joining cult groups.
