The Abia State Government has secured the conviction of two men for sexually assaulting minors, describing the outcome as a major milestone in its campaign against sexual and gender-based violence.

A Family Court sitting at the High Court in Umuahia sentenced a 35-year-old man from Akwa Ibom State to 10 years in prison for defiling a five-year-old girl. In a separate case, a 32-year-old man received a 30-year jail term after being found guilty of defiling a 13-year-old girl.

Announcing the convictions in Umuahia, Commissioner for Information Okey Kanu said the judgments reflect the administration’s zero-tolerance stance on sexual offences and are intended to send a clear warning to potential offenders. He stressed that the government would continue to pursue such cases vigorously to ensure survivors receive justice.

Kanu noted that the successful prosecutions are among the landmark achievements of the Nchedo Sexual Assault Referral Centre based at the General Hospital, Aba. The centre provides coordinated medical care, psychosocial support and referral services to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, working closely with law enforcement and relevant ministries.

According to him, the facility is currently handling two new cases: a 60-year-old woman who was allegedly gang-raped and a five-year-old child who survived defilement. Both cases are being managed with medical, legal and social support to aid the survivors’ recovery and pursuit of justice.

Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Ngozi Felix, revealed that one of the convicted offenders fled to Nasarawa State after committing the crime but was tracked down and returned to Abia by the police for prosecution. She described the case as one of the fastest concluded within Nigeria’s network of Sexual Assault Referral Centres.

Felix attributed the swift outcome to strong collaboration among the Ministries of Health, Justice, Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, alongside the Nigeria Police Force. She commended Abia State Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, for the command’s role in investigating and prosecuting sexual violence cases.

She reaffirmed that the administration of Governor Alex Otti remains committed to protecting vulnerable residents, strengthening support systems for survivors and ensuring that perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence face the full weight of the law.