Sokoto records 426 GBV cases

A total of 426 gender-based violence was recorded in Sokoto between January and November 2020.

The Chief Executive Officer, Save The Child Initiative of Nigeria, Abdulganiyu Abubakar, disclosed this at the end of the project evaluation meeting for EU-UN Spotlight Initiative Programme implemented by the Women Right Advancement and Protection Alternative in collaboration with Save the Child Initiative in Sokoto State.

He said though the number of cases recorded from January to April 2021 was not yet available, the number of cases being reported every day was in the increase.

“As at our last coordinating meeting held in November 2020, over 426 cases were reported and referred to the Sexual Assault Referral centre in the state.

“We therefore reiterate our call on Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to declare state of emergency on gender based violence like he did on education.

“Because with the prevailing rate of GBV in the state, it will be difficult for children to go to school,” he said.

He also lamented that there was no improvement in the area of prosecution of GBV cases in the state.

“A lot of cases were reported but unfortunately, there is no serious move to prosecute those cases diligently,’’ he said.

On the success recorded in the past 14 months, he said there was improved and sustained awareness and intervention was more coordinated.

“Stakeholders working on gender based violence are more mobilised and enlightened. And there is greater involvement of the media in the last 14 months.”

Speaking on the development, Liman Muhammad Maigero, who is a director in the Ministry for Religious Affairs, emphasised need for increased mobilisation of religious leaders to campaign against GBV.

“People believe in religious leaders for almost every aspect of their lives, therefore, the authorities and stakeholders should engage them to be preaching against all forms of vices including abuse of girls and other vulnerable in the society,” he advised.

Similarly, Barrister Rasheedat Muhammad, an activist and lawyer called on parents and wards to refrain from consenting to settlement against the wishes of GBV survivors.