NHRC Investigation Panel on Sexual, Gender Based Violence, Calls for More Complaints from Victims

Victims of sexual and gender based violence all over Nigeria, have been urged to forward their complaints of any of such violation against them to the Special Investigation Panel on Sexual and Gender Based Violence, set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The Executive Secretary of NHRC, Mr. Tony Ojukwu, who is also the Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel on Sexual and Gender Based Violence, made the call last week at the public hearing of the Panel for the South-West

Geo-Political Zone, held in Lagos.

Speaking at the two-day hearing, which held between November 20 and 22 at the Pearlwort Hotel, Alausa, Ikeja, Ojukwu said the Panel has, so far, received 93 Complaints/ Memo across the six geopolitical zones, with the South East accounting for the highest number of 35 representing 37% of total complaints received.

While calling on more victims to forward their complaints, he said North Central accounts for 19, North West has 12, South South 11, South West 15 and North East 4.

Ojukwu in his Welcome Address at the hearing, said the core mandate of the NHRC is to promote, protect and enforce the human rights of Nigerians and all living within the country, adding that in

realising this mandate, the Commission can investigate all alleged cases of human rights violations, as well as monitoring developments in various thematic areas of human rights, assisting victims of human rights violations through appropriate awards and compensation, bringing its findings to the attention of government, to ensure government compliance with its international and human rights obligations.

According to the NHRC Executive Secretary, the panel, which had conducted sitting in Abuja, was constituted following the complaint received on April 26, 2019 in respect of raids of night clubs and streets of Abuja, by armed security personnel.

He said the armed security personnel were led by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), under the auspices of the FCT Joint Task Force, claiming that the raids were intended to

arrest prostitutes.

He said that victims of the raids, mostly women, had made serious allegations of rape, sexual harassment and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

“In these raids, none, or very few men, were arrested. Victims of the raids made serious allegations of rape, sexual harassment, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. This was one of many raids purportedly carried out by AEPB and the FCT Joint Task Force, regularly. Other notable cases of sexual and gender based violence include, the BBC documentary on ‘Sex for Grades’ in the University of Lagos, and its counterpart in Ghana. This has now raised a recent outcry on the Sexual and Gender Based Violence menace in the homes, work places, church places, and other places of worship. The case of little Ochanya in Benue State, can also not be overemphasised.

“Pursuant to the above, the Office of the Vice President requested the Commission to take immediate steps to arrest this scourge in the society, and make appropriate recommendations to the Government”, he explained.

Ojukwu said the members of the Panel, which comprises people from the Academia, Gender Experts, Civil Society and Professional Groups, were carefully selected to represent diverse interests of the society, adding that, the Commission is the Chair and Secretariat.

According to him, the specific Terms of Reference of the Panel includes, to review extant laws and regulations applicable to Joint Task Forces in the country, and FCT in particular; Hear complaints and investigate alleged acts of violation of human rights under the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and other laws; Develop clear guidelines for inspections and raids in the country by task forces that can serve as good practices, against the backdrop of reported cases of abuse overreached by State agents; and proffer recommendations to appropriate authorities on the terms of references, and/ or any other issues related thereto within four months.

The Investigation Panel Chairman said the Commission has completed its sitting in Abua with a huge success recorded, as victims of Sexual and Gender Based Violence and other members of the public who submitted memorandum and complaints were heard in closed chambers.

“Also, during the sitting, the Panel made a visit to Locus in Quo, where Sexual and Gender Based Violence survivors were kept. The Commission after sitting in Lagos, will replicate this sitting in South South, South East, North West and North East. This is to enable all victims of Sexual and Gender Based Violence all over the Federation, to be heard”, Ojukwu noted.

While commending the complainants for the courage to lodge their complaints and submit memorandum, he assured the victims of protection of their identities.

He also commended the Government for its support in setting up the Panel and the partnering agencies including, Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), the Rule of Law Initiative (aka Partners West Africa-Nigeria), the Ford Foundation, the Nigerian Policing Programme, Rule of law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC), UN Spotlight Initiative, and Amnesty International Nigeria, for their continuous support and partnership.