LAGOS, June 9 (Xinhua) -- A major Nigerian ethnic group Tuesday condemned the rising violence, especially rampant cases of rape in the northern part of the country.
Spokesperson for the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Emmanuel Yawe who made the condemnation in a statement made available to Xinhua, said the spate of violence in the region was getting out of control.
The spokesperson, who described the rising cases of rape as alarming, also called on parents, guardians, young girls, school managers, religious leaders to take note of this dangerous trend and protect these innocent girls from this abuse and barbarism.
Activists have been calling on Nigeria authorities to deal more effectively with rapists through the strict enforcement of existing laws and promulgation of tougher sanctions.
On June 5, a coalition of civil society organizations and human rights activists held peaceful protests in the Federal Capital Territory and Lagos demanding a state of emergency to be declared on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria.
The protest which took place at the police headquarters in both cities followed a perceived rise in the number of rape cases in Nigeria including the recent deaths of two rape victims. Enditem
