A security expert, Mr Olaniyi Daniel, has raised concerns over the impact of rape allegations later found to be false, warning that such cases can undermine public trust and hinder justice for genuine survivors.
Daniel, the owner of Premier Guard Security Ltd., expressed the concern in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.
NAN reports that in February, a female university student in Osun falsely accused a male student of rape but later retracted the claim and apologised following family mediation and the intervention of the institution’s authorities.
Also in February, a TikTok influencer alleged on social media that she was attacked and raped by a stranger who forcibly gained access to her apartment in the Ogijo area of Ogun.
However, investigations later revealed the claim to be false, and she subsequently apologised.
Daniel said that although false rape claims are not common, they can have serious consequences.
“They affect not only the person accused but also real victims, who may not be believed when they report such crimes,” he said.
He explained that such cases could erode public confidence in the justice system and discourage genuine victims from speaking out.
“When some cases turn out to be false, people begin to doubt others, and this can affect genuine victims,” he said.
Daniel added that those wrongly accused could suffer reputational damage, emotional distress and, in some cases, wrongful detention.
He stressed the need for...
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