The Enugu State Government has concluded plans to establish special courts to handle Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases and a rehabilitation centre for minors as part of efforts to strengthen the implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) (VAPP) Law in the state.

The move follows the rising incidence of juvenile-related offences, including cases of violence involving persons under the age of 18.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Osinachi Nnajieze, said the government remained committed to the effective implementation of the VAPP Law, which was signed in 2019.

Speaking during a three-day Policy Review and Validation Workshop on the state’s VAPP Law, Nnajieze said the rehabilitation centre had become necessary to end the detention of minors in adult correctional facilities.

He noted that the state currently lacks a reformatory institution for the correction and rehabilitation of minors, adding that efforts were underway to restore the Borstal Training Centre in Ngwo, Enugu North Local Government Area, to serve that purpose.

According to him, the facility, built in 1932 as a rehabilitation centre for rescued teenagers and repentant prostitutes, was abandoned following the civil war in 1970.

Nnajieze said a state government delegation had inspected the facility to assess its structural integrity and recommend its redesign to meet present-day requirements.

He described the absence of a rehabilitation centre for minors as a major gap in efforts to tackle gender-based violence in the state.

The commissioner expressed concern over the growing number of juvenile offences, including violent crimes committed by persons under 18 who eventually end up in adult correctional facilities, describing the situation as inconsistent with the objectives of the state’s VAPP Law.

The workshop was organised by the LifeSpring Development Foundation (LSDF) in collaboration with the Enugu State Ministry of Health. It was attended by stakeholders in the justice sector, civil society organisations, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other groups working in the health sector.

Nnajieze said: “Every society is assessed by the way it responds to offenders of the law. The law must always prevail. That is where Nigeria has been backward. You get a suspect and the right things are not done. We will ensure and uphold the law in Enugu State even if he is a child of nobody.”

He, however, stressed that in enforcing the law, another law must not be violated, adding that the government had directed that no minor should henceforth be detained in an adult correctional facility in the state.

“Putting minors in adult correctional facilities is turning juvenile justice on its head. So when I found out that it was happening here, I ensured immediately that the trend was reversed. As I speak to you today, the Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, has directed that we conduct integrity tests on the building, reassess it and redesign it,” he said.

He commended LSDF and its partner organisations for organising the workshop and assured participants that the state would continue to strengthen access to justice for all.

Meanwhile, the Cross River State House of Assembly has pledged to fast-track the domestication of the state’s Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) law, which was passed in 2021 but did not receive gubernatorial assent.

The commitment followed an advocacy visit to the Assembly by the state’s First Lady, Mrs Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, who urged lawmakers to strengthen legislative action against sexual and gender-based violence and guarantee justice and protection for survivors.

The advocacy programme, themed, “Advocacy for Prevention, Shifting Social Norms and Strengthening State Commitment to End SGBV,” was organised by Humanity Without Borders Empowerment Initiative in partnership with the Nigerian Governors’ Spouses Forum and the Ford Foundation.

Addressing lawmakers, the First Lady stressed that ending gender-based violence required strong institutional backing and sustained legislative commitment beyond political administrations.

She urged the Assembly to demonstrate greater ownership of the campaign through legislative actions, policy initiatives and resolutions that would institutionalise the prevention of gender-based violence across the state.

“As we work together, I respectfully encourage this Assembly to champion concrete legislative commitments, policy initiatives and, where appropriate, formal resolutions that will institutionalise gender-based violence prevention beyond programmes, administrations and political cycles,” she said.

She also called for the effective enforcement of existing laws, adequate and sustained budgetary allocations, stronger legislative oversight and legal reforms to improve access to justice and support services for survivors.

The First Lady challenged lawmakers to leave a lasting legacy “where justice is accessible, dignity is protected and violence has no place in our communities.”

Responding, the Leader of the House, Francis Bassey Asuquo, his deputy, Davies Etta, the Assembly’s only female member, Mercy Akpama, and other lawmakers commended the First Lady for championing the campaign.

The lawmakers unanimously pledged to revisit the unassented SGBV bill, review it to reflect current realities and ensure its speedy passage.

Speaker of the Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, commended the First Lady, Humanity Without Borders Empowerment Initiative, the Nigerian Governors’ Spouses Forum, the Ford Foundation and other development partners for sustaining advocacy against gender-based violence.

Ayambem reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to enacting laws and strengthening oversight mechanisms to protect the rights, dignity and safety of all residents of Cross River State.

“The responsibility of eliminating sexual and gender-based violence rests on all of us. Together, we can create safer communities where every person is treated with dignity and respect. I assure Her Excellency and all stakeholders of the Assembly’s readiness to work with all partners in advancing this important cause,” he said.

The advocacy session was attended by the wife of the Speaker, Mrs Nelly Ayambem, female members of the State Executive Council, women leaders of the APC and other stakeholders.