The Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, has urged girls and women facing any form of abuse, especially sexual abuse, to voice out in order to be protected. The deputy governor said this yesterday, following the successful rescue of an 18-year-old girl from the hands of her guardian, Chief Promise Sydney, whom, she alleged, has been sexually abusing her for the past nine years.

Dr. Banigo, who spoke through her Senior Special Assistant, Mrs. Inegogo Fubara, expressed pleasure that the ‘Sex and sex abuse mentorship exercise’ organised by the ‘Protect the Girl-Child Initiative’, Office of the Deputy Governor, at the Federal Government Girls College, Abuloma, Port Harcourt, has yielded dividends. She said a few days after the event, a Senior Secondary School (SSS) 3 student (name withheld), confessed to the school authorities that her guardian has been abusing her sexually since she was nine years old.

She said the “Protect the Girl-Child Initiative” team contacted the International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA) and the man was arrested and charged to court, while the girl has been taken to a safe haven for protection.

Banigo commended FIDA for responding swiftly to the distress call, insisting that girls and women must speak out when abused to mitigate the ugly scourge.