Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has promised to wield “the big stick” on perpetrators of rape, domestic violence and child abuse in the state.
He added that the state would support the police and the judiciary to ensure the crime is brought to the barest.
The governor gave the warning yesterday in his address to Lagosians after the “Walk To Commit and Act” rally organised by Lagos State Government through the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) of the Ministry of Justice to further drive home his message against the menace.
Sanwo-Olu, who said the government was commemorating the day in line with United Nations (UN) declaration against gender-based violence, added that the state would work hard with its police command and all relevant agencies to bring the crime to a zero point.
He emphatically warned that no offender would go unpunished, saying that rape, domestic violence and child abuse are crimes and must be treated as such.
He said: “Lagos State government, through the Ministry of Justice and other arms of the government, deem it fit that we need to have this walk to further confirm and to indicate our full support for advocacy around the talk of child abuse, the advocacy around rape, against women and girls, the talk around domestic violence, sexual violence and all other vices that are around abuse of children.
“Our government by this walk confirms that we are totally against it, we stand against everything about this issue and we are going to ensure that we have zero-tolerance against it.
“It is a crime against humanity. When you are caught in the act of sexual violence, child abuse, domestic violence, you will be made to pay dearly for your crime. So, we are using this advocacy to warn and to tell people to desist because the full arm of law will be brought to bear on anybody or institution found wanting in any form.”
He, however, encouraged victims of these acts to open up to necessary authorities, noting that the government will take up such issues.