Ogona Anita
The Rivers State Response Team on Violence Against Women & Children, has frowned at the rising cases of school violence including sexual exploitation and abuse in schools in Rivers State.
The Team which stated that a total of 54 reported cases of violence against children occurred within school premises in the State, also hinted that a total of 15 deaths occurred as a result of sexual and gender based violence in 2025 alone according to its record.
Tombari Dumka-Kote, Coordinator, Rivers State Response Team on Violence Against Women & Children, disclosed this while speaking at a Programme, ‘Brushes For Justice: Young Voices, Powerful Message – Art for a World Without Violence ‘, organized by Amaclare Connect Initiative, in Port Harcourt today.
Dumka-Kote who lamented very pathetic incidents of how a child was allegedly given 105 strokes of cane by Mrs. Gift Felix Nwoko, the Proprietress of Happy day international school Rumunduru, Port Harcourt for reporting a case of her been sexually assaulted in school by her teacher to her mum who subsequently visited the school to make a formal complaint; and three other cases of how a school minder, a teacher and an elderly pupil of 9 had fingered and defiled pupils at ages 2, 4 and 4, at Bethlehemite Convenant Child International Montessori School, Rumuepirikom; Sapphire G International Academy, Rumuepirikom; and Bright International School, Agip Estate, Port Harcourt respectively, called on the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to order the transfer of the case files from Rumuepirikom and Agip Police Divisions to his office for proper investigation and prosecution of the suspects involved.
The Response Team Coordinator while urging the students to always report incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse to trusted persons around them, said him Team will be working with the State Ministry of Education, to ensure that schools that are unsafe for children shall be shutdown.
Dumka-Kote also regretted that negligent private school owners and managers, rather than seeking means to address challenges faced by traumatized children survivors in their schools, have taken to cheap blackmail and intimidation of the parents/guardians which will not be condoled and remains unacceptable.
‘Some schools have become torture centers for children. What we are saying is that people who lack character and are not friendly with child protection protocols must not be allowed to own or run schools in Rivers State. The responsibility is also on parents to ensure they do their fact checks to be sure their children and wards are not handed to abusers, molesters and traffickers in the name of school enrollment.’
All the schools with incidents and cases of abuse of children shall surely be investigated, and those found wanting prosecuted, Dumka-Kote stated.
He warned school owners in whose school children are facing abuse, hinting that the Team will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that justice is upheld in the matter.
The Team also frowned at the alarming level of gender based violence in the State within the last 12 months, revealed that a total of 1,053 cases were reported to the Team. With cases of defilement/rape, spousal battery, abandonment, and child labour toping the reports at 72%.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence is a global event slated annually between November 25th to December 10th, every year to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.
This years theme is ‘ Unite to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls.
Queeneth Igbara
(Communication/Public Enlightenment officer)
09017017662
