National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, (NAPTIP), has warned that it is a serious crime for anyone tamper with evidence or intimidate any witness in cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence, (SGBV). Director General NAPTIP, Professor Fatima Waziri-Azi, reiterated this during the last lap of the agency’s Community Advocacy Dialogue on SGBV in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT).
Speaking at the meeting in Abaji Area Council, the DG noted with concern allegations that cases of SGBV in the Council are being suppressed hence the non-reportage of such cases to the authorities as victims are forced to suffer in silence. “Projecting offenders, intimidating witnesses, are punishable under the law. Please note that it is a serious crime to tamper with evidence, to intimidate witnesses, threaten, blackmail or try to give money to withdraw the matter in court.
“We were informed that the reason why community members don’t report SGBV offences is because community leaders charge community members money to settle these cases in their place, I don’t know if this is true but we can see from the data that something is happening in Abaji,” she said. The DG noted with dismay that out of the 143 cases reported to NAPTIP protection officers in 2023, not a single case was reported in Abaji Despite allegations of that community leaders take money to resolve such cases mostly at the detriment of the victim.
Professor Waziri-Azii explained that the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, (VAPPA), which is applicable within the FCT, gives NAPTIP the powers to implement the provisions of the Act which covers SGBV in the FCT. “For this Act to be applicable in other states, the states ‘houses of assembly have to adopt it and pass it into law and as of today, 35 out of the 36 states in Nigeria have their own VAPP laws. The only state in Nigeria that does not have a VAPP law is Kano state.
“In 2023, we were able to put four people in prison for rape in FCT. Two life imprisonment convictions, one 25 years imprisonment without the option of fine and another 21 years imprisonment without the option of fine. This year alone, (2024), we have already put seven people in prison and we currently have 126 cases in various courts in the FCT.
She adds that to better serve FCT communities, the Act made provision for protection officers to be sent into communities to work with them communities in terms of reporting SGBV cases and NAPTIP has 22 protection officers, two in each of the six communities.
She noted that “The job of these protection officers is to work closely with the police and other security agencies, closely with Civil Society Organisations, (CSOs), and closely with NGOs as well as the communities to discharge their duties. Responding, Ona, (Chief), of Abaji, and Chairman, Council of Chiefs FCT, Dr. Adamu Yunusa, said cases of SGBV are being reported to the police even if community members take them to the Ona’s palace for.resolution.
Represented by the Alhaji Musa Haruna, recommended tNAPTIP’s effort in the fight against SGBV and in sensitizing communities in the FCT. He assured that despite having a lot of cases to resolved at the palace daily, the right thing will be done as per reporting SGBV offences in the area. Present at the meeting were representatives from security agencies, community my embers among other key stakeholders.
