#TrackNigeria- As the controversy surrounding the rape allegation against the Senior Pastor of Common Wealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo rages, the Community Peoples Initiative Against AIDS (COPEAIDS Foundation) has called on the Nigerian Police to wade into the matter.
COPEAIDS Foundation, a pro-life group urged the Nigerian Police to carry out diligent investigation in order to establish the truth in the festering rape scandal.
“There are two main versions. Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo has been accused of rape by Mrs. Dakolo. Nigerians have taken sides but there has not been any independent investigation that can establish the truth. This is where the police need to come in urgently”, COPEAIDS Foundation said in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Mrs. Feyisike Adeoye.
On Wednesday, COPEAIDS Foundation saluted the courage of Mrs. Dakolo for coming out with her story inspite of her status as a married woman urging other women or girls to summon the courage to speak out. The group said there was the urgent need for the police to unravel the truth by inviting Pastor Fatoyinbo to make a statement. The group said by stepping aside, Fatoyinbo has shown a good example expected from people perform public function urging politicians to take a clue from his action.
The group however said resigning from his position was not enough
It said rape remains a rampant scourge across Nigerian faith-based institutions, academic communities, the civil service, the military and other security institutions. “Most victims are traumatise and find it difficult to speak because of the stigma associated with rape and the obnoxious public perception that stereotype rape victims instead of rapists as suspects.
“We are in a society where information inflow and outflow continues to be dominated by men. We are in a society where people blame women even when they are raped. Women are at the receiving end of domestic and matrimonial duties and responsibilities; they are at the tiny end of the stick. They have little economic opportunities and the political structure that control institutions and public policies are controlled and manipulated by men. This adds up to the vulnerable status of women which makes them to be continuously exploited by men either through rape or other forms of abuse”, Mrs. Adeoye said. She added that increase in violence, extremism, proliferation of arms, cultism and the weak justice system combine to spur increase in rape and violent crimes against women and the girl child.
According to her, the Police should not wait for an official complaint to be filed before investigation is carried out by the security operatives.
“The police should see this case as a strong public petition that should be investigated. Though the crime was alleged to have been committed two decades ago, by calling witnesses, the police can establish the veracity of claims in the wild controversy” adding that a thorough police investigation is in the interest of all parties, the crime suspect, the victim of crime and the society at large.
The group said because of the sensitivity of the case Nigeria Police Force ought to carry out thorough investigation into the allegation to make sure that proper punishment is meted out if the Pastor is guilty and also to be sure that an innocent person is not punished for what he probably what he knew nothing about
COPEAIDS said both parties have the right to fear hearing instead of subjecting a crucial case of public interest into mob trial.
“Nigerians will be doing a grave dis-service to justice if the country continue to use the social medial to bully parties in a dispute without a conscious attempt to establish the truth for the sake of justice.”
Adeoye further stated that government should come up with more punitive measures for people engaging in the dastardly act of rape which is capable of destroying the lives of victims.
COPEAIDS FOUNDATION said the alarming figures of cases of rape and defilement in Nigeria should be of concern to all and sundry. In order to deal with this scourge, the group advocated that governments at all levels should set up mechanism that will empower women to speak up without necessarily facing the risk of public ridicule.
Adeoye also urged journalists to put on the antennae for investigative journalism to help unravel cases of rape adding that it is important to use the media to spread the messages that will sensitize the people most especially young girls and ladies who are the prime targets on the need to be more careful of the kind of company they keep and the places they go so as to guard against the menace of rape. She urged “collective positive action” to shame rapists and put rape to an end.
