Bauchi GBV Committee Handles 219 Cases as First Lady Calls for Faster Justice

From Paul Orude Bauchi

The Bauchi State Action Committee on Gender-Based Violence has handled 219 cases of rape, child abuse, and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV) in the state.

This is even as the Chairperson of the Committee and wife of the governor, Aisha Bala Mohammed, reaffirmed the commitment of the state government toward addressing GBV across the state.

Speaking at a media chat organised by the Office of the First Lady on Monday in Bauchi, Hajia Aisha Bala Mohammed lamented the slow pace of the criminal justice system in delivering justice to victims of gender-based violence.

She explained that the media engagement was aimed at informing the public about the achievements and activities of the committee in tackling GBV-related cases in the state.

Aisha Bala Mohammed disclosed that the committee, which was inaugurated in April 2020 under her leadership, had carried out awareness campaigns across the 20 local government areas of the state to prevent GBV, while calling on all stakeholders to intensify efforts toward ending the menace.

“As Chairperson of the Gender-Based Violence Committee, I came up with the idea of helping vulnerable persons and children to ensure justice for them and restore their self-esteem,” she said.

“The media should understand that, as the wife of the governor, I do not possess executive powers. I work within the support and approval of my husband, the governor. However, as a mother, I am passionate about ensuring that women and children live in a safe and healthy environment. That is what motivated me to champion this cause.

“Addressing violence is a collective responsibility. Religious leaders, traditional rulers, community members, and all citizens have important roles to play because government alone cannot do it all. In my capacity as wife of the governor, I brought together various committees and stakeholders to work collectively toward addressing gender-based violence.

“Up till this moment, less than 20 percent of the activities and achievements of the committee have been reported. Beyond committee members, we also work closely with Islamic scholars, community leaders, and other stakeholders to support victims and address cases of abuse.”

The First Lady urged the media to support the campaign against GBV, especially by creating awareness about the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act.

“Many people, even within our homes and communities, are still unaware of these laws because their attention is focused mainly on social media rather than educational and advocacy content,” she added.

Speaking on their activities, the Special Adviser to the State Government on GBV, Sha’awanatu Yusuf, disclosed that the committee’s membership was drawn from the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Women Affairs, security agencies, the Human Rights Commission, as well as traditional and religious groups.

According to her, the committee was established to address cases of rape, child abuse, and other forms of gender-based violence in the state.

According to her, the cases handled by the committee include 91 rape cases, 37 cases of domestic violence, 19 cases of forced marriage, 11 cases of child abuse, and five child custody cases, among others.

She disclosed that some of the rape cases had been successfully prosecuted, with courts delivering judgments in favour of the survivors, while several other cases remain pending.

The Special Adviser to the state government on GBV added that the committee has continued to provide support services to survivors, including legal assistance, counselling, and referrals for medical care where necessary.

She explained that the committee was divided into four sub-committees: prevention, protection, prosecution, and collaboration/partnership.

She said the prevention sub-committee embarked on sensitisation campaigns across the 20 local government areas of the state and also provided contact numbers for reporting cases.

The protection sub-committee, she noted, engages survivors and provides necessary assistance and support to affected families.

On prosecution, she explained that the committee listens to complaints and ensures that legal action is taken once a prima facie case has been established.

Sha’awanatu Yusuf,added that the collaboration and partnership sub-committee works closely with NGOs and other stakeholders to support the activities of the GBV committee in addressing cases effectively

Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bauchi State Council, Comrade Said Umar, appreciated the efforts and compassion of the First Lady, particularly for her concern when 13 members of the committee were involved in an accident.

Umar suggested the need for the committee to organise a special meeting with media executives to create more opportunities for stakeholders to discuss issues relating to gender-based violence and social protection.

“Secondly, we appeal to Her Excellency to consider sponsoring special programmes and capacity-building initiatives for journalists,” the NUJ Chairman apealed.

“With the active support of the media, awareness can be strengthened and gender-based violence can be greatly reduced in society”

The NUJ Chairman suggested review of the Violent Against Persons (VAP) Acts and the Child Rights Acts (CRA) which were domesticated into laws by the state in 2020 and 2023 respectively to ensure they remain effective, relevant, and responsive to changes in society.

Uma Said also advised journalists against the use of sensitive and unethical pictures or visuals when reporting GBV cases in order to protect the dignity and privacy of victims.

On his path, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the NUJ, Bauchi State chapter, Mallam Ahmed Mohammed commended the First Lady for her tireless efforts to bring succour to victim and families of victims of GBV.

Mohammed advised the GBV committee for more collaboration with media practitioners and capacity building for journalists to effectively promote their efforts to the whole world.

On her part, Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, Bauchi State chapter, Rashida Yusuf, commended the First Lady and members of the committee for their commitment and achievements in tackling GBV cases in the state.

Rashida Yusuf, who is a member of the committee, said that during a recent training programme organised by UNICEF in Gombe, participants were impressed by the proactive measures and successes recorded by the Bauchi State GBV committee under the leadership and support of the First Lady.

According to her, the efforts of the committee had become a reference point in the fight against gender-based violence, stressing that more needed to be done to address the menace across the state.

She called on members of the committee to intensify their efforts and strengthen their commitment toward ensuring that cases of gender-based violence are drastically reduced.

The NAWOJ Chairperson also appealed to media organisations and journalists to give wider publicity to the activities and achievements of the Sexual Assault Referral Centre, noting that increased media visibility would encourage victims to seek help and raise public awareness on available support services.

Yusuf explained that the media engagement would also provide an opportunity to discuss challenges confronting the committee, particularly delays in the administration of justice arising from judicial procedures.

“I appreciate your continuous partnership and commitment on these issues. Your role in public enlightenment remains invaluable,” she said.

She emphasised the importance of community involvement and active media participation in combating gender-based violence, adding that the committee is planning more public enlightenment outreaches across the state.