A young woman in Adamawa State is confronting immense obstacles in her quest for justice after surviving a sexual assault, with poverty and systemic pressures threatening to silence her case. The alleged perpetrator, arrested only briefly, has been released on bail, leaving the survivor to grapple with trauma and a community urging her to settle the matter outside the legal system.
Survivor's Trauma and Rejection of Out-of-Court Settlement
The survivor, from Demsa Local Government Area, was assaulted months ago by a man identified as Litani from the Murgarang Community. Following a police investigation and his arrest, the authorities proposed an amicable resolution. The police instructed the suspect to cover her medical bills, but the victim firmly objected. She narrated her stance, emphasizing her desire for legal accountability over financial compensation.
"I told them, I don't want him to pay anything. I just want him to face the law for the pains he has caused me," she stated. Despite her insistence, the police granted the suspect bail and suggested the matter be resolved at home. The survivor and her mother resisted this pressure, aware that the same man had allegedly attempted to assault her friend previously.
Poverty and Stigma: The Silent Killers of Justice
The family's determination for a legal fight was ultimately crippled by a lack of resources. "We have no financial resources to help, so we decided to embrace the dialogue and let everything go," the survivor lamented. This financial incapacity, coupled with intense social stigma, has isolated her and undermined her pursuit of justice.
She poignantly described her ordeal: "I am passing through a lot of trauma... I wanted him to pay for all he has done to me, but poverty has made my voice silent." The discrimination she faces has altered her social life, leaving her feeling viewed as a failure by her community.
Advocate Highlights Systemic Failures and Path Forward
Mr. Dikyami Elishama, a sexual and gender-based violence advocate with Big 360 Family in Adamawa, contextualized the survivor's plight. He explained that many survivors face compounded trauma and are often forced by poverty, threats, or family pressure to abandon legal cases. "Family dialogue has made the perpetrator to be boasting around and repeat the act consecutively because he feels the law has no right on him," Elishama warned.
He stressed the urgent need for a proper legal pathway and psychosocial support. The prescribed punishment for rape under Nigerian law is life imprisonment, but local practices often circumvent this. Elishama outlined critical steps: an immediate police report, a medical examination, and then legal action. He urged survivors to seek help from human rights organizations regardless of financial instability, assuring them that "justice must be served."
Related Incident of Violence in Adamawa
In a separate but similarly distressing case from Adamawa, Joseph Ardo was abducted from his home in Kuma community, Suktu district, on September 6 by men in military and vigilante uniforms. He was later found dead with his throat slit. The incident, which involved nine motorcycles, has caused fear and unrest, with the victim's family and local leaders demanding a thorough police investigation to curb vigilantism.
