Bauchi CP takes stand against SGBV, assures stakeholders of command’s support
Story from Beatrice EARLAND, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Auwal Musa Muhammad, has promised to curb the menace of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and assured that the command will support stakeholders in their efforts to rid the state of SGBV.
Muhammad made this commitment during a one-day training on SGBV organized by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) Bauchi State chapter.
He emphasized that the Command is prepared to sensitize its officers and work diligently to eliminate these twin evils.
“Gender-based violence is a serious anomaly perpetuated by some individuals in society. As far as I am concerned, their mental faculties must be checked because they are behaving like animals,” he stated firmly.
“I want to assure you that, on our part, we will support all the procedures mentioned in the prosecution process as initiated by the office of the First Lady, both at the national and state levels,” he added.
“We will make every effort to sensitize and professionalize our officers to ensure they fulfill their duties effectively.”
Commending NAWOJ for organizing the training, he emphasized that it was a positive step in the right direction. He urged NAWOJ to use the media as a powerful tool to sensitize women about SGBV and encourage them to expose culprits, emphasizing that such crimes must not be covered up.
In her remarks, Mrs. Rashida Yusuf Mohammed, Chairperson of NAWOJ in the state, commended the Commissioner of Police and other stakeholders for attending the training despite their busy schedules.
“As you are all aware, the present administration in the state signed into law the VAPP in 2022, which aims to eliminate all forms of violence and punish those found guilty,” she said.
“As women journalists, we need to equip ourselves with the knowledge of addressing cases of SGBV, which have become rampant in our society,” she added.
The chairperson urged the participants to apply what they learned in the training to ensure that the state, and indeed the entire country, is free from SGBV.
One of the resource persons, Mrs. Esther Patrick, the Gender Officer of the state Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development, disclosed that a dashboard had been introduced in the ministry for proper documentation of SGBV cases.
Patrick also revealed that the state had established a technical team on gender, where desk officers work closely with other relevant ministries, agencies, and parastatals to tackle the menace.
She encouraged the participants to maximize their professionalism and become the voice of the voiceless by exposing perpetrators.