The Nation Newspaper

Tag: violence

  • Group seeks end to domestic violence

    Group seeks end to domestic violence

    In March 15 this year, the rejection of a gender and equality bill by Senators generated uproar among Nigerians, especially among the female folks.

    The bill entitled, “A Bill Seeking Gender Parity and Prohibition of Violence against Women” sponsored by Abiodun Olujimi, a Senator from Ekiti State, had sought to bridge the huge gap between the rights of men and women in Nigeria.

    More so, it also sought to end questionable and unpleasant stereotypical practices that encourage discrimination based on gender.

    Most importantly, the bill was firm on prohibition of domestic and sexual violence against women and instituting 18 as the minimum legal age for girls to marry.

    In a country such as Nigeria, where recent cases of child brides have resonated, the bill was considered by most Nigerians as apt and a ready answer to address the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) survey which put the figure of girls said to be married off before they turn 18 to 43 per cent.

    Hardly had the bill been read before dissenting voices from Senators overwhelmed the position of other lawmakers who had earlier given thumps up to the bill.

    Consequently, a voice vote rendered the bill dead on arrival with majority voting against the bill before the Second Reading.

    Though the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki had promised that the bill will be revisited, many Nigerians are doubtful that the Senate will give it a second thought.

    But the Sarah Adebisi Sosan Foundation (SASF), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), is leading a fresh campaign to ensure gender equality and an end to all forms of domestic violence as well as the need for government at all levels to respect rights of women and give them equal opportunity that would enable them to contribute to discussions on community development.

    A recent event organised by the foundation to commemorate this year’s edition of International Women’s Day, drew women from all walks of life, which were unanimous in their call for gender balance, especially in the areas of education, employment and an immediate end to all forms of domestic violence.

    Founder of SASF and former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan noted that in all sectors, women continue to suffer from gender inequality, which she said hinders their advancement and key contributions they would have made in the development of the society.

    Sosan further stated that there is the need for regular sensitisation of the public to the need for gender balance and formulation of appropriate laws that would free women from all forms of subjugation.

    While describing the theme of the celebration, “The Role of Parents in Gender Equality” as apt, she called on mothers to give equal attention and show love to their female children, noting that often, the boy-child is exempted and accorded respect in domestic affairs while growing up but the girl-child is made to bear so much responsibilities, which she noted is a contributory factor to gender imbalance in the society.

    Sosan urged government at all levels of governance to end disparity against women. She said women that have occupied various positions in the country in the past have proved that women have a lot to contribute to the socio-economic growth of the society, adding that women empowerment and participation in decision-making process is crucial to achieving sustainable global peace and world development.

    She revealed that her foundation, (SASF)  was aimed at empowering women, especially those from poor economic background  by  helping them to gain entrepreneurial skills that would provide them with means of livelihood and free them from the shackles of poverty, while they contribute to the economy of their homes.

    Earlier in her remarks, the guest speaker and former Deputy Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Bola Badmus-Olujobi noted that globally, 31 million girls of primary school age and 32 million girls of lower secondary school age are out of school, with sub-Saharan Africa suffering the lowest proportion of countries with gender parity in education.

    She said: “It is vital that we overcome this gender parity in education because education empowers girls by helping them to achieve other basic human rights and breaking generational poverty cycles.”

     

  • Kidnapping worsens Kaduna violence

    Kidnapping worsens Kaduna violence

    Abduction for rituals has crept into Kaduna State, which was hitherto ravaged only by cattle rustlers, robbers, sectarian strife and Boko Haram insurgency. ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE writes

    Once upon a time, Kaduna State made the wrong headlines but only for robbery attacks, cow theft, ethno-religious violence and lately Boko Haram attacks. Now, add kidnapping to the list. The toll on the capital of Northern Nigeria is heavy.

    Before mid 2015, the state was always in the news for several attacks on villages, leading to death of many, especially in the southern parts. In the central areas, armed robbery and cattle rustling, particularly in Birnin Gwari axis, were the order of the day.

    The Nasir el-Rufai administration swung into action. It halted organised crime in the south, kept cow rustlers quiet in the central areas, and celebrated its achievement. But just then, kidnappers sprang up, as if to get their share of crime proceeds before it was gone. And it seems they are hitting it big.

    Security experts have attributed the rising cases of kidnapping to the crackdown on killings, robbery and cattle rustling. Governor el-Rufai also said recently that criminals were resorting to kidnapping after insurgency, armed robbery and cattle rustling have been defeated.

    But unlike other parts of the country where kidnapping began, the crime has turned bloody in Kaduna, sending a chill in the spines of Kaduna residents, especially the rich.

    Although, a few kidnap cases were earlier reported, it climaxed with the abduction of three Kaduna pastors in early March, one of whom died in the kidnappers’ den, and the subsequent abduction and killing of an army colonel.

    However, unlike the Niger Delta experience, some of the Kaduna kidnap cases were not targeted at getting ransom, but done for ritual purposes. The case of four-year-old Sadiq Usman is an example.

    The little Usman’s eyes were plucked out by his abductors for suspected rituals in Zaria. The Nation gathered that the boy was wandering in the neighbourhood of Ban Zazzau when the ritualists abducted him.

    According to reports, the suspected ritual murderers soon after kidnapping the boy on his way to the evening Islamic school, took him to an uncompleted building and forcefully removed his eyes.

    It was gathered that some residents of the area heard the commotion, but before coming to the boy’s rescue, the hoodlums had fled. He was subsequently treated at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Zaria, but the fact remains that his abductors have left the poor boy blind for the rest of his life.

    Unlike the little Usman’s ordeal, three grown-up HEKAN pastors were kidnapped in commando-style by masked gunmen along Kaduna-Abuja Expressway.

    The pastors were the President of the United Church of Christ in Nigeria, the Reverends Emmanuel Dziggau, Vice President, Iliya Anto and Yakubu Zarma, who were on the church permanent site about 17km away from Kaduna when they were whisked away.

    Another pastor, Jubrailu Ibrahim Wobiat, who  escaped the attack by the whiskers recounted the ordeal.

    He said, “We went to clear the land to start building our seminary school. We finished work of the day and were about leaving. The Vice President was to take off to Abuja, suddenly we saw men wearing masks armed with AK-47 rifles. They were about six. They blocked the small access road leading to the main road as our President, his Vice and the other clergyman were driving out of the place.

    “They ordered them out of their cars, but one of the drivers who was driving  the Vice President escaped and ran back to those of us who were still behind at the site to tell us about what had happened.

    “We quickly abandoned our cars and ran into the bush for our dear lives and got to the Express Way to the town. The police later escorted us to pick our cars.

    Their abductors later demanded for N100 million ransom. But unfortunately enough, the Vice President, Reverend Iliya Anto, who was just recuperating from a surgery died in the kidnappers’ custody.

    Pastor Wobiat told newsmen: “They demanded for N100 million, they also told us that the Vice President is sick and they described a location where we could pick him. But when we went there with the police, we couldn’t see him. Somehow, they were monitoring us.

    He said the HEKAN President Reverend Emmanuel Dziggau and Retired Reverend Yakubu Dzarma were freed by their abductors. Reverend Anto was later found dead.

    However, it was not clear as to whether a ransom was paid to secure the release of the reverend fathers or not.

    Another bloody abduction was that of Colonel Samaila Inusa of the Nigerian Army. The gunmen suspected to be kidnappers whisked away Colonel Inusa in his Mercedes-Benz car around Kamazo, along Kaduna Refinery Road, in Chikun local government area of Kaduna State.

     

     

     

     

  • Group cautions against fresh violence in Ekpan

    As part of efforts to find a lasting solution to the crisis in Ekpan community  in Uvwie  Local Government Area of Delta State, a group, Ekpan Integrity Group (EIG), has cautioned against fresh outbreak of violence in the community.

    The group stressed the need for  stakeholders in Ekpan and Uvwie to ensure that those responsible for fanning the embers of crisis face the law.

    EIG President Pastor Innocent Akpotedja-Adjenughure, a lawyer, spoke during the inauguration of the group in Ekpan at the weekend. He decried the loss of lives and properties during crisis, which he said, has led to Ekpan almost becoming a ‘ghost land’ and led to investors leaving in droves.

    He said: “We can’t allow fear, intimidation,  to keep us silent when evil  is going on. We cannot be here and see the rate of arms proliferation, see the rate of crisis, conflicts, violence go on in Ekpan community and keep silent. We cannot fold our arms and see things crumble in our own time and  generation.”

    Akpotedja-Adjenughure was accompanied by Vice President – Terry Moses Aruroje;  Secretary- Ifie Prince;  PRO- Pere Judah, Publicity Secretary and Orumeji Kingsley- Mobiliser.

    The group made up of  Ekpan indigenes of like minds, he said,was borne out of the desire to bring about  peace, sustainable development and  sustainable security in Ekpan. He added that they would work with law enforcement agencies  and relevant stakeholders as  well as government to restore peace , sanity, pride and dignity of  the community. He said the era when  evil perpetrators were allowed to go unpunished had passed.

    Pastor Innocent said: “Any human being that takes  the life of any member of Ekpan community must pay dearly  for it. I can assure you that, we would mobilise resources, mobilise whatever it takes against any one that takes up arms against  any one in this community. ..It is a passion for all of us.

    “When good men keep silent when evil is going on, they become part of the evil, so, good men will not keep quiet, they  will talk out .”

    The Secretary of the group, Comrade Ifie Prince,  said the group would collaborate with government and other stakeholders to  solve the problem of incessant crisis in the community.

    The leader of the legislative arm of Uvwie Local Government  , Hon. Glory Utuedor and th Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ekpan Police  Station, Chris Sogara, who was represented by DSP Monday Eghujovwo, promised to collaborate with the group to bring lasting peace to Ekpan.

    Some indigenes of Ekpan community, including Olorogun   Daniel Igedo,  Hon.Eyimofe  Akemu and Comrade Harry Odafe pledged their loyalty to the group.

  • Provost to students: Violence will attract dismissal

    About 350 new students of the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA) have taken an oath of allegiance to the institution.

    At  the event, the Provost, Dr Samson Odedina, worried that many youths have lost the virtues of hard work, honesty, punctuality and sense of morality.

    He said it was an irony that this is happening to young people in a country that has been described as the most religious in the world.

    Odedina lamented that most of the agencies of socialisation have failed in their duty of moulding the character of the young ones.

    He said: “It is in realisation of this that FECA has chosen to rededicate itself not only to provide training in Agriculture, but also moulding the character of her students in order to become assets to their families, communities and the country.”

    The provost admonished them to avoid all forms of violence on campus, saying any violent act would attract outright dismissal from the college.

    Odedina re-emphasised the need for the freshers to take their studies seriously.

    The Registrar, Dr Pius Adebisi, administered the oath.

     

  • FCT Election: Police vow to arrest, prosecute electoral violators

    FCT Election: Police vow to arrest, prosecute electoral violators

    The Commissioner of Police on election duty for Federal Capital Territory, Foluso Adebanjo has said the police would deal with anyone planning to violate the electoral process.

    He also noted that anyone caught in the act of thuggery as well as their sponsors would be prosecuted.

    Adebanjo made this known in Abuja while briefing the media on Police preparation for Saturday’s council election across the territory.

    According to him: “May I state at this point that the Police is fully prepared and committed to the successful and peaceful conduct of this Election.

    “I want to also assure members of the public that the Police will remain neutral and provide all with a conducive atmosphere to exercise their voting rights.

    “However, the Police will not hesitate to apply the appropriate sections of the law in dealing with any individual or group of persons arrested trying to foment trouble or sabotage the electioneering process.”

    The CP, who stepped into the shoes of the substantial FCT Police boss, Wilson Inalegwu for the Area Council election said the command deployed Police personnel to respective polling units and voting points by name for the purpose of accountability.

    He said: “It is pertinent to state at this juncture that Police personnel for this election duty have been properly briefed on their roles as stipulated in the electoral act. They will be professional, non-partisan, civil but firm in their approach and relation to the public.”

    Adebanjo said aside the aforementioned, the Police have been working closely with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to provide water tight escort for the safe movement of both sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials to the respective destinations.

    Continuing, he said: “Adequate security arrangements have been made for the protection of INEC staff and all ad-hoc staff being used for the conduct of the election. Also, security at all INEC offices across FCT has been beefed up.”

    The CP said in order to properly monitor the election, the Joint Operations Centre, JOC, domicile in the FCT Police Command Headquarters, and has since commenced operation.

    He said the centre is manned by personnel drawn from all the security agencies and they will be working with the sole goal of receiving real time situation reports and monitoring the conduct of the elections.

    Adebanjo insisted that the restriction of vehicular movement still remains 7am to 4pm and enjoined FCT residents to feel free to come out and exercise their constitutional mandate as the Police in collaboration with other security agencies would be on ground to provide security for the seamless conduct of the election.

    He urged residents to be vigilant and cooperate with the Police and other security agencies by reporting suspicious movements and activities through the FCT Police Command Helplines; 08061581938, 07057337653, 08032003913, 08028940883.

     

  • Re: Violence in Relationships

    IN the penultimate week and the one before, I wrote about the contentious issue of Violence in Relationships, and spoke about some of the effects on the individual, their partners, families, and even the society.

    Only last week, a colleague told me the story of a female cop whose husband had successfully abused their three daughters, all under the age of fifteen. When she discovered, she left him and proceeded to seek redress in the legal system. Surprise, surprise, the woman was vilified by friends and family for taking the man to court. Even worse was the fact that the abuser was actually pressing buttons from the police net to quash the case. The case died a natural death, just like many like it.

    If the truth be told, Nigerians have an uncanny habit of protecting evil under the guise of stuff like culture, and “What will people say?” Even worse is the fact that more often not, abusers don’t simply stop with their partners, many go on to abuse children; sometimes theirs, the children of partners, friends, and family members, not to mention neighbourhood kids. When they are caught, and the aggrieved parents of the victim seek redress in the legal system, they are harangued for doing so, being told, “after all, they have begged you.” When will we begin to protect ourselves, and our children from sick people who need to be locked away permanently; for their sake and that of the society? The responses I received from some quarters about my articles on Violence in Relationships, buttress that fact, enjoy.

     

    Hello Jane, I love your thoughts on violence in relationships. It is barbaric and unacceptable. Couples should exercise patience, understanding, and restriction so as to avoid violence in relationships. Ibitoye, 08033530289.

     

    About your write-up; four reasons to leave an abusive relationship. Hope you have left your husband? That is if you are married? It does appear that you are a gender jerk, and a separatist. 07069689551

     

    Response

    Dear Sir/madam, it is actually for everyone. Abusers occur in both sexes, although I don’t advocate divorce, I believe that such people need help so that their loved ones can be safe. P.S. Just in case you abuse your spouse, please seek help.

     

    Good afternoon, I live in Abuja. I am a reader of the Nation, and would like to speak with you. Your last article in last Saturday’s Nation spoke about my wife and I. We have a lot to talk about, please text me the best time to call you. Thanks. FF, Abuja

  • Commissioner decries violence against women

    Commissioner decries violence against women

    Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs Dr AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef has condemned women abuse.

    AbdulLateef said it was wrong for people to abuse women, imploring women to see themselves as commissioners in their homes.

    He urged women to rededicate themselves to their primary responsibility.

    “A society starts from the home, to have a good home, women must rise up to their responsibilities,” he said.

    Attributing the increasing cases of social vices to poor parental care, he said women’s role was fundamental to proper child upbringing.

    The commissioner urged women to demonstrate good examples to promote societal value.

    “Women should develop more interest in their children. Today, many women especially nursing mother will leave their homes at dawn and will not come back until dusk”, he said.

    AbdulLateef said women should not be used as chattels, but celebrated.

    According to the commissioner, no one has celebrated women like Allah, who dedicated a chapter of the Quran, Suratul Nisai, to them.

    “Women are the children incubating factory. When you trained a girl-child, you have train the world. Women today are fighting for women liberation; this should not be their focus. Their focus should be how to take good care of the future leaders of this country. Focus on how the young ones will become professionals in different fields irrespective of the gender. Women should dress in a very modest manner and not in a seductive way that influences men negatively,” he stressed.

    AbdulLateef warned the public against thinking that it is not good to educate the girl-child, emphasising that no child should be denied education for any reason.

    “Women are not in any way inferior to men. It is unfortunate that women are used wrongly. Women are used to advertise tyres, bicycles and even men’s wears. Women should fight back to regain their lost glory and value system,” he added.

  • NGO fights against domestic violence

    A non-governmental organisation, Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP) has staged a walk to create awareness about the Protection Against Domestic Violence Law of Lagos State.

    The group went round Igando at the weekend in Igando-Ikotun Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.

    WRAHP Executive Director Bose Iro-Nsi decried the violence against women and girls in their homes.

    Copies of the law that were simplified for easy reading and understanding were distributed to passersby with other vital information.

    According to her, WRAHP believes that proper understanding and assimilation of the law, will contribute to the effective enforcement of the law and give women the courage to speak and stand for themselves.

    “What we did was to simplify the domestic violence law by breaking the technical terms and distribute to people so that they can be able to read, understand it and pass the information to others; if they see something, they should say something,” she said.

    Iro-Nsi said government should give equal opportunity to everyone.

    “We have some cases of domestic violence which we are handling and we have established businesses for some of the women and given them training because we discovered that they are battered because they do not have economic empowerment so we help develop them in their own skill”.

    Akeem Obadaranijo, a participant, urged parents to stop sending their children to hawk during school hours, describing it as a serious offence.

  • On love, violence and relationships

    IN the last week, since my article on violence in relationships, I have had texts from people on both sides of the divide; either for or against the notion. (As they called it in school back in the day.) One particular text from a person (Can’t tell if it’s a he or she) who castigated me for the article stood out. The person asked if I had left my husband. So this week, I will be clarifying my thoughts on the matter, and request more people send in their texts, and emails which will be posted the next week.

    1. As a married woman, I am thankful to God that I married to a man who would never raise a hand at me, and I would never dream of doing the same. Why? Because real adults are not expected to resort to violence to resolve issues. Living with a person who thinks it is their right to manhandle their partner for whatever reason is a definite no-no. Fear has no place in a relationship based on love. As I earlier said, it could lead to death at worst, and mental and emotional trauma for all parties involved, at the least.
    2. A person who physically, emotionally, or psychologically abuses a spouse or love interest is sick, and a menace to society. When he or she kills or maims his or her partner, he leaves the children and or family members of the abused traumatized. He or she also robs both the family, and the society of an important member of that family and society.
    3. It is not only men who beat up or abuse their wives, abusers are found in both sexes. I have seen women who beat their husbands, and men who abuse i.e. beat their wives. The widow spider syndrome is a case in point. This refers to a woman who kills her mate, just like the female widow spider eats the male while mating. And there have been serial murderers; both male and female who go as far as committing murder, not of strangers, but their spouses, and love interests, so the issue of abuse is not one to be taken lying low.
    4. In conclusion, I wish to conclude by unequivocally repeating what I told my castigator. I do not advocate divorce as a Christian, but when a relationship gets to the point when a man or woman becomes a punching bag, and constantly winds up in the hospital, the abused person needs to get out; even if for a while, while the abuser seek help for his problem. Why? So that the abused doesn’t end up being carried out of the relationship in a hearse, and the abuser end up in prison, or facing the hangman’s noose. And just as I asked my castigator, “Do you abuse i.e. beat your spouse or partner? If you do please seek help.”

    Comments on the topic will be appreciated.

  • Violence against women dominates stakeholders’ talks

    Violence against women dominates stakeholders’ talks

    Concerned with the increasing spate of violence against women, stakeholders, including the British Mission in Nigeria, civil society organisations and the media, are pushing for the enforcement of the provisions of Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports

    Violence against women has seemingly become a daily occurrence in Nigeria. Victims who survive it have sordid tales to tell.

    Some violence against women take place within the victims’ homes, others occur in the public. Most times, the culprits go unpunished; a development which emboldens them to commit more of the crime.

    Described as the violation of women’s fundamental human rights, discrimination or violence against women include all acts of gender-based violence that result in, or are likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological or economic harms or suffering to women, including arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether or not it occurred in public or private life.

    Whenever there is civil war, insurgency, terrorism, sectarian crisis, robbery and other forms of violence, women are always at the receiving end; with many of them serving as sex slaves and instruments for bargaining.

    Nigeria, whose legal system is adapted from its colonial master, the Great Britain, has laws which prescribe punishment for perpetrators of such violence against women. However, it is believed that such laws are not well implemented to deter culprits.

    It is against this background that New Initiative for Social Development (NISD), a non-governmental Organisation (NGO), with the support of the British High Commission, organised a three-day workshop in

    Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, for stakeholders. It was aimed at creating awareness among the people and sensitise them to a new law enacted to reduce, if not eliminate violence against women in Nigeria.

    The civil society group won a big battle in the National Assembly with the passage of the Violence against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Bill by the Seventh Senate on May 5, last year and the signing of the Bill into law by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on May 24, last year.

    It is on record that the Bill had been in the National Assembly for 13 years before it was passed and assented to by ex-President Jonathan. Since its passage, not many Nigerians know that the VAPP Law exists for victims to defend their rights and for the offenders to be punished.

    The workshop was attended by the officials of the British High Commission in Nigeria, the Department for International Development (DFID), media practitioners from both print and electronic media, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), faith-based organisations, association of women lawyers (FIDA) and security agencies, among other stakeholders.

    •Participants at the workshop
    •Participants at the workshop

    The participants came from the six Southwest states of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti to brainstorm on ways to promote the VAPP Law, ensure its domestication in states where it has not been domesticated to ensure that future perpetrators of violence against women are brought to justice.

    The session for journalists was very interesting, lively and revealing as they shared experience on their reportage of various acts of violence meted out to the women folk and in-depth enlightenment on the VAPP Law.

    In his welcome address, the Executive Director of NISD, Mr. Abiodun Oyeleye, said his agency, with the support of the British High Commission, has produced and distributed over 1,000 copies of VAPP Law, trained 20 journalists in the Southwest states in order to understand the contents of the Law and enlighten the citizens on its import.

    He explained that the NGO has also trained 20 senior police officers on strategic ways of enforcing the law in each of the six Southwest states while it also planned to increase the capacity of 25 judges in the

    zone in in-depth interpretation of the Law.

    Oyeleye stressed that the passage of the VAPP Bill and its subsequent signing into Law now gives a legal teeth to the law which aimed at eliminating cases of sexual and other forms of discrimination and gender-based violence in the country.

    In her remarks, the Acting Southwest Regional Coordinator of DFID, Mrs. Margaret Fagboyo, noted that her agency supports governments at national and sub-national levels and civil society groups to help reduce poverty, support good governance and achieve sustainable development goals.

    She further explained that one of the critical success factors towards the achievement of these goals is a free and egalitarian society, devoid of any oppression, suppression, discrimination or violence that can prevent individuals or group of people from attaining their God-given potential.

    She said: “Unfortunately, the legal and judicial systems do not offer much protection against violence and abuse. The ugly trend is further accentuated by our culture of silence. It has been realised that in these instances, silence is never golden.

    “However, the situation is more complicated in our environment. While, for instance, rape carries a punishment of life imprisonment in Nigeria, the arduous process of proving rape, the pain and shame of reliving the experience, coupled with societal pressure to keep silent, victim-blaming and stigma, often discourage women from reporting sexual violence.

    “Until the passage of VAPP Bill, there were a handful of states in Nigeria with specific laws targeting domestic violence and abuse but there was no federal law specifically addressing the myriad of cases.

    “However, the content of the new law is tailored towards our environment, as it reflects the realities of domestic violence and discrimination in Nigeria at present. In addition, the law incorporates relevant provisions of international human rights laws and principles.

    “VAPP Law has been in place for over eight months now. How many people are aware of it? How many people have gained insights of its provisions? How many people have been charged under the law or conviction obtained?

    “Here comes the responsibility for the media. The media is recognised all over the world as agent of socialisation, which moulds morals, views and opinions of the society. It needs, therefore, to step in and begin the education process towards preventing and ending violence and abuse in our society.”

    In his keynote address, the representative of the British High Commission, Mr. Wale Adebajo, regretted that institutions in Nigeria are very weak in rising up to tackle the issue of sexual violence while the situation is further compounded by lack of political will and low capacity of actors.

    Adebajo, who is the Communication Manager and Political Adviser of the British Deputy High Commission in Lagos also expressed dismay that the VAPP Law has a challenge of low level of awareness among Nigerians; with citizens having no access to the law, including the justice sector stakeholders which makes it very difficult to enforce.