The Nigerian chapter of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), an all-women association fighting to protect the rights of the female gender in the country, has raised concern over the increasing rate of rape cases involving female students in Rivers State.

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In an interview with The Punch, Adata Bio-Briggs, chairperson of the organisation in Nigeria, revealed that more than 50 female students have been sexually defiled by their teachers in the state.

According to the chairperson, most of the cases recorded since the beginning of the year are now being tried in court.

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Bio-Briggs identified Ahoada, Elelenwo and Rumuokuta communities as the areas where the most recent cases of the abuse were recorded.

“It is sad and disheartening that we have a lot of students that have been defiled by their caregivers and teachers. We presently have a case from Ahoada; a seven-year-old child defiled by her teacher. We have another case of a child somewhere in Elelenwo that was also defiled by her teacher,” Bio-Briggs said.

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“We have another one in Rumuokuta, where the child was also defiled by her teacher. So, we have a lot of cases of teachers defiling people they are supposed to be caregivers to. This year alone, we have had more than 50 defilement issues. All the matters of children being defiled by their teachers have been charged to court.”