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Romanus Okoye
Former Secretary, Nigeria Bar Association, Lagos branch, (NBA), Mr. Alex Muoka has called on Nigerians to expose and remedy the worrisome inefficiencies in our security apparatus and criminal justice system that allow criminals to perpetrate evil and walk away uncaught.
Muoka made this call while referring to the gruesome murder of a 22-year-old Miss Vera Omozuwa who carried her books to the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Ikpoba Hill Branch, Benin, Edo State to study but ended up being raped, molested and murdered.
He said, “Today, we mourn her passing. She was brutally raped, assaulted and left for dead by unknown assailants right inside the Church, and she later succumbed to the mortal injuries inflicted on her. The life of an innocent and promising young lady was cruelly terminated – in a holy sanctuary.
“The whole nation is aghast at the dastardly act. The deep anguish that her parents and friends keenly feel is shared by all of us. How could this be? How could a place of piety, a sanctuary of worship be desecrated in this way? How could a young and promising life be cut short in such an abominable manner? What kind of animalistic instinct was at play here?
“The cries for justice have been swift and strident. They must not be stilled! This is one rape and assault too many. This has gone too far! To think that whilst nations are battling a global Pandemic and people should be concerned with escaping infection and death, there are still rapists and murderers lurking in our midst – looking for hapless innocents to devour! It is unthinkable!
“A few days ago, the Police in Dutse, Jigawa State, arrested 11 men who had been raping a 12-year old girl severally on different occasions! It is not an isolated incident. These are indeed troubling times. It is disturbing that at a time when we should be avoiding unnecessary physical contact with others and looking out to keep each other safe, reports of cases of domestic and sexual violence are on the increase. Some people who should be protectors of vulnerable, younger, and weaker dependants or neighbours, are the marauding destroyers of innocent virtue! And they hope to go unpunished!
“This is so sad. It is unacceptable. We must fix our dysfunctional society. We must expose and remedy the worrisome inefficiencies in our security apparatus and criminal justice system. We must change the narrative.
“We should make Vera our rallying cry. We should continue to demand a meticulous investigation of this heinous crime and that the perpetrators be brought to book. Vera’s soul cries out for justice and we ought to cry out with her.”
