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Last Updated: Wednesday, December 01st, 2004 HOME | Previous Page Group seeks support of Edo House over incessant acid attacks Segun Fatuase Senior Correspondent, Lagos   A non-governmental group, Project Alert, has appealed to members of  the Edo House of Assembly to come up with appropriate legislation to curb or eradicate incidents of acid baths on young girls and women in the state. Programme Officer, Mrs Bridget Osakwe, who made the passionate appeal in a paper delivered to House members on behalf of a coalition of NGOs , shortly before a rally in Benin, the state capital, recently, said it had become necessary to identify incidents of acid baths as a crime against humanity and come up with  legal reforms to deal decisively with a situation which is prevalent in Edo State. “We are concerned about the way and manner cases of acid baths on women and young girls are handled by the judiciary and law enforcement agents because perpetrators are left to go about their normal businesses unpunished”, she said. Osakwe,  particularly cited the  case of 25-year-old Miss Utana Ehabhahe who was bathed with raw acid by a spurned lover in Auchi before she died last December. Another pathetic case was that of 14-year-old Miss Uwaila Clifford, of Iguobazuwa village in Ovia South West local government area, who was similarly treated before  an organisation came to her aid. She therefore asked the law-making arm of the government to join hands with civil society to address the scourge of acid bath in the state. Earlier during the visit, Dr Wilson Imongan had explained the potential health effect the different types of acid can have on the human body.  While condemning easy access to acid in the state, Imongan said appropriate legal reforms might protect the womenfolk from unnecessary attacks. Responding, Speaker of the Edo House of Assembly, Mr. David Iyoha    commended the efforts of the coalition and promised that members would deliberate on the matter as soon  as it is possible. Copyright� 2004. All Rights Reserved. Independent Newspapers Limited Block5, Plot 7D, Wempco Road, Ogba, P.M.B. 21777, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. www.independentng.com e-mail: [email protected] Designed By Powered By DNet.

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