The persistent efforts of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its partners, the Solidarity Center AFL-CIO and a network of legal practitioners known as International Lawyers Assisting Workers Network (ILAW), in the fight against gender based violence and harassment (GBVH), gained more ground in Nigeria as the trio collaboratively ensured that justice took its full course on Nasiru Umaru, who allegedly raped 16-year-old Miss Aishyatu H (pseudonym).
Nigerian Tribune gathered that Nasiru Umaru, aged 44, had on September 2, 2021 at Mile 12 Market, Ketu Lagos, defiled Aishyatu. When it learnt of the heinous criminal act, the NLC with the support of the Solidarity Centre AFL-CIO, a top notch CSO keen on championing campaigns against Gender Based Violence and Harassment, swung into action to ensure that justice is done.
It was gathered that Umaru had since been remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Prison by a Magistrate Court, after he was charged to court by the Nigerian police, following the weight of evidence against him.
The Prosecutor, while reading the one-count charge against Nasiru Umaru said, “that you NASIRU UMARU “M” 44yrs on the 2nd day of September, 2021 at LB Alaba, Mile 12 Market, Ketu Lagos in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did defile one Aishyatu H (pseudonym) “F” Age l6yrs by using your penis to penetrate inside her vagina and forcefully having carnal knowledge of her and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
In a phone chat with Nigerian Tribune on the matter, ILAW member and attorney in charge of the case, Onyeisi Chiemeke said that facts available to them reveal that the suspect had carnal knowledge of the minor, a crime which carries a life sentence upon conviction. In his words, “ILAW network Nigeria will ensure that justice prevails.”
Furthermore, he urged the Federal Government to put in place structures that allow seamless prosecution of perpetrators of such heinous crimes.
“Victims of GBVH suffer multiple times in trying to get justice from the system as they are often placed with the burden of providing financial resources for law enforcement agents to carry out investigations. When such victims are unable to fund investigations, the cases are often abandoned and the perpetrators walk free to continue with the crime”, the lawyer noted.
Chiemeke also explained that Mile 12 International Market leadership’s monitoring mechanisms on the case helped tremendously to ensure the suspect was charged to court and eventually remanded in prison pending the advice of the Lagos State Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) on the trial.
Contacted via a phone chat to give insight on the matter, the Lagos State Chairperson of the NLC, Comrade Agnes Sessi, expressed regret that the Federal Government is foot-dragging on its commitment to ratify the ILO Convention 190.
Sessi added that the high rate of GBVH violations in Nigeria’s world of work has necessitated the need to speed up ILO Convention 190 ratification process in order to ensure that the menace is mitigated.
Reacting on ongoing trial involving the defilement of a minor in Mile 12 International Market, Ketu, she said, “We are going to follow up this matter at the court. We will ensure that justice is served so that by the time more perpetrators are put behind bars, offenders will know that women and girls have a right to their bodies and a right to feel protected while at work.”
She appealed to the President and state governors to do more on GBVH which is a human rights issue as nobody should be harassed while working or trying to make a living based on their gender or sex.
She also hinted that the GBVH campaign in Mile 12 International Market, Ketu is changing the face of the market as women workers in the informal economy now feel safer doing business within the market.
Also, the Iyaloja of the Mile12 International market, Dupe Ojo, expressed satisfaction over the arrest of Umaru, saying that the arrest will serve as deterrent to intending perpetrators of rape and other GBVH in and around the market community.
Ojo further commended the training market women received from the Solidarity Centre AFL – CIO and NLC, saying that it had raised a lot of awareness around the root causes of GBVH. She noted that the impact of the training is already yielding results that have so far ensured effective prevention and protection of all vulnerable persons from gender based violence and harassment within the market community.
According to her, “The women in the market were happy to hear of the news of the arrest and investigation of this crime. We have been sensitising them on the need to speak out about such violations and break the silence holding them down. We know that with this result, workers will grow more confident to report such violations to help us kick GBVH out of Mile 12 Market for good.”
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