by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
An appeal has been made to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) – as a law enforcement agency – to approach campaign against gender-based violence with vigor, as domestic and sexual violence increase on a daily basis.
The appeal was made by Acting Chairman on Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission, Plateau State, Barr (Mrs) Olivia Dazyam, in Jos recently, in one of the programmes as the world marked 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.
According to her, already they have put machinery in motion to establish a Search Center in three (3) zones of Plateau to work in synergy with the Police and curtail the ugly trend.
She observed that, the age-long culture of silence amongst various households in the communities have been identified as the reason responsible for the continuation of gender-based violence in Nigeria.
The Acting Chairman, who led other officials of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in a dialogue with the Police Commissioner for Plateau State, CP Okoro Julius Alawari, and officers of the Nigeria Police Force to end the menace of gender-based violence, said the statistics of what is happening to women and girls in Nigeria “is very embarrassing.”
She equally acknowledged that, “This is the right time to ensure Plateau is crime-free by implementing the Violence Against Persons Prohibition laws that was signed into law by Simon Lalong-led administration.”
Speaking also, the Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command, CP Okoro Julius Alawari, while applauding members of CSOs’ doggedness in fighting against gender-based violence, affirmed that what they are doing is for the sake of present and future generations.
According to him, the issue of gender violence has become a nightmare in Nigerian society, which requires collaboration of all stakeholders, to tackle the challenge.
He assured of the Command’s readiness and determination at any time to render its necessary support to ensure a crime-free Plateau.
Recall, a 2023 world 16 days of activism against gender-based violence had a theme, ‘unite, invest to prevent violence against women and girls.’