Stakeholders Lament Prevalence Of Gender Based Violence In Ekiti

Stakeholders in Ekiti have decried the increasing incidences of
sexual and domestic violence against women in the state, saying
concerted efforts must be made to rid the state of the scourge.

The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi and the
presiding Judge of Court of Appeal Court, Ado Ekiti Division,
Justice Uzor Ndukwe- Anyanwu, expressed worries over frequent cases
of the violence against women in Ekiti.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting on strengthening the legal
and institutional framework for the elimination of gender based
violence in Ado Ekiti, Mrs Fayemi expressed regret that Ekiti
continues to witness issues of rape, defilement and human
trafficking in spite of the existing laws prohibiting gender based
violence.

This came as the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) and the
police in the state puts the figure of the sexual offenders between
2014 and 2019 at 102.

There were 17 cases of rape and child defilement out of which 16
have been referred appropriately.

Defilement of 11 under 10 girls, according to DPP were also
recorded between January and March, while 30 offenders are
imprisoned and 8 already convicted.

She said: “When Fayemi left, some of the laws put in place to
safeguard the lives of women and girl child were not implemented”,
saying this constituted a serious snag in the fight against the
practice.”

The first lady added three key areas that needed to be examined
by stakeholders include the causes of gender based violence , how
to use legal framework to resolve some of the issues revolving
around this scourge and how to break the culture of silence among
victims.

“The third one is how to focus on inter agency collaboration,
because this is not a problem that can be solved by a body “.

Mrs Anyanwu said the issue has always been an issue of interest
to Nigerian All Female Judges Association, particularly how to
resolve the problem and make women safe wherever they go.

“Ekiti has this as a big problem. I am worried that we have it
in this proportion. It is not something cultural as people want us
to believe”.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wale
Fapohunda, said the government is ready to go all hogs to prevent
the state from being tagged a thriving land for violence against
women and girl child.

“Reported cases of sexual rape, violence rape, and child
defilement have now reached a frequency that we firmly must believe
there is an urgent need for joint action between government and
other stakeholders to reverse the scourge.

“We are committed to zero tolerance for all forms of violence
against women and children. Apart from legal interventions, we also
take another step that photographs of convicted offenders should be
placed on state’s website and announced on state broadcasting
service.

“Also in cases of defilement , we insist on compulsory
psychiatric tests for all persons designated as having cases to
answer in form of violence against women”.

In his remarks, Police commissioner, Ekiti Command, Mr. Asuquo
Amba, said any person defiled must pass through medical examination
for the police to have proof to prefer charges against
offenders.

Amba, represented by officer in charge of Legal Department, Femi
Falade , a Superintendent of Police urged the government to direct
all public hospitals to offer free medical services to victims to
prevent them from being made to pay for medical treatments , even
while in emotional trouble.

Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), FIDA, Christian Association of
Nigeria (NBA), NAWOJ, NIS, State Judiciary NSCDC and other security
agencies were represented at the stakeholders meeting.