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NAS asks NHRC to create toll-free line for rights violations

By Obinna Nwaoku, Port Harcourt
13 December 2021   |   3:55 am
Rivers State chapter of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) has asked the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to create a dedicated toll-free telephone line for victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) to make complaints.

Rivers State chapter of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) has asked the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to create a dedicated toll-free telephone line for victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) to make complaints.

The association, in commemoration of the Human Rights Day at the weekend, offered to support the creation of the line for victims of abuses in Rivers State to report and seek justice.

Iche Cecil-Wordu, who is the Capoon of Olympus Marino deck of the association, explained that violence against women is one of the most underreported forms of human rights abuses in Nigeria.

He added that despite prevalence and spread of this form of human abuse, no structure has been established to address it in a manner that would ensure improved reporting, investigation, and prosecution.

He expressed optimism that such measure would result in a significant reduction of cases of abuse, as well as an increase in the number of prosecutions against those who commit the crime.

Cecil-Wordu said: “That is the reason the Rivers State chapter of NAS has requested that the NHRC set up and popularise a dedicated toll-free telephone line to support victims of gender-based violence to report.

“We know that the Commission is willing to thoroughly investigate cases that come to it, but has been limited by the low level of reporting and willingness of victims to come forth. Our association is willing to support the Commission in this regard.

“The association is offering to support the setting up of a dedicated mobile toll-free telephone line for victims of abuses in Rivers State to report and seek justice.

We are also committed to publicising that reporting platform to ensure that victims have access to it and trust its efficacy.”

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