The National Orientation Agency (NOA), Kaduna Directorate, says it will intensify sensitisation and public enlightenment against rape in the state.
Mr Zubair Galadima-Soba, state Director of NOA, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Wednesday.
Galadima-Soba said that the issue of rape in Nigeria, particularly in Kaduna State had assumed an alarming proportion.
“Rapist should be punished for their action. The incident mostly occurred with close relations where young children were abused, causing them lifetime injury or even death.
“Therefore, government at all levels, civil society groups, parents, community and religious leaders must join hands to ensure that the menace of rape is eliminated or reduced to the barest minimum.
“The NOA will sustain the fight against rape through continued sensitisation, reorientation and public enlightenment in Kaduna and Nigeria at large”, he said.
The state director further said that the agency had advised officers working in local government areas of the state to include rape discussion and child protection in all the programs being executed.
He noted that the agency had designed messages sent on social media; discussions were done on conventional media while some officials went to the grassroots to dialogue with relevant stakeholders in communities.
He said NOA would ensure that its offices are opened to offer guidance and counselling at the grassroots level so that youths and children would be counselled on rape-related issues.
Galadima-Soba urged parents to ensure the safety of their wards by taking note of people their children associated with, saying that parents should avoid sending them on errands during odd hours.
He also appealed to parents of rape victims and community leaders to report such cases to appropriate authorities so that perpetrators would be brought to book.
(NAN)
