BY HADIZA IBRAHIM NGULDE
A disturbing videos made rounds on the internet depicting a middle aged man physically assaulting two minor girls in Borno state yesterday.
The incident happened in Pompomari bypass, Layin Snooker area of Maiduguri, the Capital of Borno.
According to sources the two girls, who were in their school uniform allegedly branched to a nearby house to pluck mangoes on their way home from school.
However, the seemingly harmless adventure turned to a horrific experience for them as the perpetrator, identified as Mamman Sheriff resorted to lashing the girls with huge dried branches while they plead for mercy as seen in the video.
The assault led to severe injuries on the girls with several bruises on her arms and legs
The Ministry for Education, Justice alongside security agencies have swiftly sprung into action to address the issue and demand Justice for what happened to the girls.
While the perpetrator has been apprehended , Community members are agitated over such inhumane action and are actively advocating for a suitable punishment to serve as a detriment to others.
According to the Nigerian Constitution, physical assaults attracts such punishment as stated in Section 355 “Any person who unlawfully assaults another and thereby does him harm, is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for three years.”
Physical assault against children, women and girls has always been an issue of concern in Nigeria as 6 out of every 10 children in Nigeria suffer from one or more forms of violence before they reach the age of 18 and 1 in 3 women have faced physical violence by age 15 according to NDHS 2013.
With these numbers and protective laws well embedded in the Nigerian constitution, it is paramount to take decisive action in order to curb the spread of such violence especially against children and women for a safer environment to thrive.