Sexual abuse of minors, vulnerable adults rising in barracks – COAS
Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, the Chief of Army Staff, on Tuesday, lamented the increasing cases of sexual abuse in military formations across Nigeria.
He blamed the surge in sexual molestations of minors and vulnerable adults on the absence of soldiers at the home front as they are always away to protect the nation from external and internal forces.
Yahaya, who was represented by the Commandant of the Nigeria Army School of Military Engineering (NASME), Brigadier General Mark Mamman, spoke at the 2021 Conference of Nigerian Armed Forces Catholic Chaplains in Makurdi, Benue State, with the theme ‘The role of military chaplains in present-day challenges of insecurity and moral decadence.
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He said, “It is pertinent to note that most of our barracks and formations are gradually being flooded with cases of sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults.
“Thus, your theme for this combined conference, ‘Protection/Safeguarding of Minors and Vulnerable Adults in NA Formations: The Role of the Chaplain’, is important to address the causes and solutions to such menace.
“The horrible effect of experiencing abuse and neglect in childhood can lead to adverse outcomes in adulthood.
“The consequences of experiencing child abuse do vary considerably. For some adults, the effects of child abuse and neglect are chronic and debilitating, which can lead to debased character and behavior.”
