Gender
FIDA Moves to Reduce Sexual, Gender-based Violence in Bauchi
By Mohammed Muktar Umar Bauchi
In order to reduce the burden of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the state, the Bauchi State chapter of the Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA- Nigeria) has disclosed that it had embarked on a one-year stakeholders’ engagement.
The disclosure was made on Wednesday, at the inaugural meeting held with Kofar Fada Community in Bauchi Local Government Area of the state by the chairperson of the Federation, Mrs Fatima Abubakar.
The project, tagged, “Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (Scale Project), being held in partnership with USAID- Palladium, according to Abubakar, was intended to improve referral, network and service to the vulnerable members of the society.
She informed that FIDA-Nigeria would engage communities in early and forced marriage as well as trafficking in persons in four local government areas in the state, adding that the association would partner with all stakeholders, civil society organisations and media to fight the menace.
The FIDA chairperson declared that as patriotic citizens and legal practitioners, members of the association in the state would be in the forefront to bring culprits of sexual and gender based violence to book.
Also speaking at the meeting, a FIDA official, Mrs Sadiya Musa, educated participants on preservation of evidence, capacity building of para-legal with a view to establishing SGBV cases.
While expressing readiness to support vulnerable persons in the society, Musa submitted that evidence was paramount in legal procedures.
“We are supporting the vulnerable persons in the society in all aspects of SGBV.
“The public should know that evidence is very important in legal proceedings. So all clients of SGBV should be protected and all evidence preserving for the law to take its course on perpetrators,” she said.
The FIDA official told participants that the community was a baseline for information sharing to the larger members of the society and enjoined participants to embrace partners for cordial and collective approach.
On his part, the chairman, Bauchi Ward Heads Association, Alhaji Abubakar Nuhu, said that the communities in the state had contributed towards combating all social vices in their domain.
He expressed the commitment of the community and religious leaders to conduct sensitisation campaigns to end the scourge of sexual and gender-based violence in the state.
A Nigerian bride who went for her pre-wedding photoshoot has insisted that men are scum.
The pretty lady was seen looking all glammed up while at the photo studio as she sent out a cautionary PSA to women.
She jokingly insisted that all men are scum. They’d make a woman get married to them, even if they don’t want to.
When someone asked what her husband-to-be is, she said that he’s her personal scum.
David Hundeyin had released an audio of the minister threatening victims of s3xual assault by Prof. Cyril Ndifon, Dean of the Faculty of Law.
Kennedy-Ohanenye, in a statement issued to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, reiterated her commitment to justice, safeguarding and advancing the rights and welfare of Nigerian women, including the pursuit of justice whenever their rights were violated.
She emphasised her unwavering dedication to upholding due diligence and the rule of law, recognising that justice and fairness were the fundamental principles upon which equitable societies were built.
“I wish to express my sincere apologies to those who were offended by my comments and actions regarding the sexual harassment scandal at the University of Calabar.
“This is extremely regrettable, as my intentions were sincere and aligned with my consistent advocacy for the welfare of Nigerian women and the pursuit of justice.
“I stand for all Nigerian women and I stand for justice and it is my hope that we can work together to actualise the dream of a country where women’s rights are respected and protected and where our daughters feel safe in institutions of learning,” she said.
Some suspected victims of child trafficking in Imo state have been intercepted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, spoke on Sunday while giving details of the agency’s activities across the country.
Babafemi said the operatives made the interception while on patrol along Aba-Owerri expressway on Wednesday.
According to the spokesperson, the girls were suspected to be victims of child trafficking.
He said they were picked up while being relocated from their hideout in the Naze area of Owerri, the state capital to another part of the city.
Babafemi identified the victims as Chioma Emmanuel, 15; Uma Faith, 15; Divine Adimonye, 17; Opara Gift, 15; and Amarachi Mbata, 16.
“In their statements, they claimed they didn’t know the men who impregnated them,” he added.
“The Imo state command of the agency has since been directed to hand them over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, for further investigations.”
Speaking on more activities, Babafemi said the agency arrested a passenger identified as Ugwu Peter Tochukwu who was travelling through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport to Oman on a Qatar Airways flight.
“Upon a thorough search of his luggage, 7.50 kilograms of skunk were discovered concealed inside crayfish mixed with dry bitter leaf,” Babafemi said.
“In the same vein, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations attached to some courier companies also intercepted Dubai-bound 2.9 kilograms of skunk and 14 grams of methamphetamine concealed in bags of semovita and soles of ladies’ high heel shoes respectively.”
MORE ARRESTS IN ABUJA, OGUN, KOGI
Babafemi said two suspects identified as Moses Akowe, 32, and Sunday Gabriel, 31, were arrested with 227.1kgs of cannabis on Tuesday in Ikebe village, Ankpa LGA of Kogi state.
The agency said 27-year-old Kingsley Chimaobi was arrested with 6,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup along Lokogoma-Abuja road on the same day.
“A total of 100 blocks of cannabis weighing 55kgs and 600 bottles of codeine-based syrup seized from the duo of Salisu Murtala and Shafi’u Dahiru on Tuesday 11th September along Abuja road have been traced to two other suspects: Muntari Nasiru and Yusuf Ali who were arrested in follow up operations in Kano,” the statement added.
“Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday 13th September sentenced to five years imprisonment a drug dealer, Segun Odeyemi for trafficking and dealing in 3,842 kilograms of skunk.
“He was arrested on Saturday 1st July while conveying 89 jumbo bags of the illicit substance in his truck around Eleganza area of Ajah, Lekki. He was subsequently charged in suit number FHC/L/388C/2023 presided over by Justice Akintayo Aluko.”
Babafemi added that the agency is committed to ridding the country of illicit drugs.
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