By David Adenuga Bauchi
The Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC) has assured the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Bill, when passed into law in Bauchi, will help accelerate justice against gender-based violence and all forms of sexual abuse.
Human rights activist and Executive Director WARDC Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi gave the assurance at a one day media sensitisation training on the VAPP law in Bauchi, the state capital on Wednesday.
According to her, the bill must be passed into law before there can be enforcement.
She said Bauchi Speaker on June 10 made commitment for accelerated hearing of the VAPP bill for onward passage into law.
Afolabi stated though Bauchi state has recorded several cases of gender- based violence and all forms of sexual abuse, stigmatisation by the society has led to the victims not speaking up out of fear.
” The VAPP Bill will ensure the Nigeria police, State Government are held accountable , victims would be able petition them as we want people to start taking action,” she stressed.
Citing the case of Mary Sands, a victim of domestic violence by her husband,who is a police officer, in 2015, Afolabi reiterated the commitment of her centre in making sure victims of gender based violence and sexual abuse continue to get justice.
”We sued the Federal Government for refusing to take take steps over the Mary Sanda case. Although, she reported at the station but because her husband was a police officer, the Nigerian police were trying to protect one of their own saying the policeman had no case to answer and i felt will she just be like this forever with no justice for her?
“We decided to sue the Nigerian Police, Inspector General of Police and the Federal Government for failing to do what they are required to do at the Court of Justice of ECOWAS,” she added.
She added WARDC obtained favourable judgment against Nigeria in “Mary Sunday” domestic violence case from the Court of Justice of the ECOWAS Court, which handed-down its judgment in favour of the complainants on behalf of Mary Sunday v Nigeria.
Afolabi appealed to the media to help champion the awareness of the bill to stem the tide of gender based violence and sexual abuse.
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