Kogi Gov’t Establishes 9 Family Courts For GBV Cases

Kogi State Government has disclosed that nine (9) family courts have been established, in addition to Magistrate Courts tasked with handling Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases in the state.

Commissioner of Justice and Attorney-General in the State, Muiz Yinus Abdullahi, (SAN) made this known while receiving a non-governmental organization, “Project Ebulejonu”, Team led by its founder and Executive Director, Barrister Elizabeth Achimugu in his office.

Abdullahi who was represented by the Acting Deputy Director, Directorate of Gender-Based Violence, Barr Mrs Juliana Omale received the delegation at his office.

He said in its fight against SGBV, state has signed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, 2022 into law, and also created of a dedicated GBV Directorate in 2024.

In addition, he said the state trained law officers and the Nigeria Police on capacity-building for prosecution of GBV cases as well as criminalisation of harmful cultural practices.

He, however, identified the culture of ‘blaming and shaming’ of victims, survivors, inadequate funding and ignorance of existing legal mechanisms for protection, as some of the challenges militating again the tackling of SGBV cases.

The Commissioner thanked the organisation for the visit and expressed the Ministry’s readiness for collaboration and partnership in terms of training, sensitisation and creation of more awareness about SGBV.

Earlier, Mrs. Achimugu revealed that the advocacy visit was the second phase of its ongoing sensitisation, advocacy and skills acquisition and empowerment support programme as part of its multi-pronged approach in the fight against SGBV in Kogi State.

She highlighted the importance of collaboration with relevant stakeholders, Ministries, Departments, Agencies, NGOs, traditional and religious institutions to combat SGBV cases, especially among the uneducated and economically disadvantaged population.

“Anybody can be a perpetrator and anybody can also be a victim of SGBV irrespective of ethnicity, religion and geography.

“We call for change of mindset, more sensitisation in rural areas, preventive measures and the need for unrepentant perpetrators to be sent to jail so as to demonstrate the zero-tolerance stance of the government against SGBV in the state,” she said.