Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has said his administration would not condone violence against women and girls in the state, warning that perpetrators would not go unpunished.
Otti’s representative spoke at a human rights training on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) organised by Vision Springs Initiatives for police officers in Umuahia.
Represented by his aide on women affairs, Mrs Chinwe Onyeukwu, he said like the rest of the country, the state, accordingly to reliable statistics, was grappling with the serious issue of EVAWG.
He said: “Recent cases in the state highlight the urgent need for intervention, as survivors continue to endure physical, emotional, and psychological trauma.”
Expressing appreciation to the organisers of the training, the governor added that the police play a crucial role in preventing and responding to EVAWG.
“Their presence and actions can serve as a deterrent to potential perpetrators, and their swift response is vital in insuring justice for survivors,” he added.
Otti, who later presented a set of desktop computers to the state police command, commended his wife, Mrs Precillia Otti, for her efforts at ensuring that survivors of violence are rehabilitated.
The state commissioner of police, Mr Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, said the police were fully committed to the eradication of violence against women and girls in the state like any other crime.
Represented by the officer in charge of human trafficking, gender section, CSP Leticia Onwuchekwa, he solicited the cooperation of victims and other stakeholders to end the menace.
One of the participants, SP Akudo Ogbonna, said with the police in the forefront, parents, schools and religious organisations should also play their roles to end abuse of female gender human rights.
The project director of the initiative, Mrs Ngozi Nwosu-Juba, extolled the state government and the police for buying into the training.
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