Kogi State Government has explained that it deliberately dedicated nine family courts in addition to the Magistrate’s court to cases of gender based violence (GBV) to effectively deal with the social vices across the state and administer justice to victims.

Commissioner of Justice and Attorney-General of Kogi State, Muiz Yinus Abdullahi (SAN), made this known in his office while receiving a team known as “Project Ebulejonu” on Wednesday.

Abdullahi, who was represented by the Acting Deputy Director, Directorate of Gender-Based Violence, Barr Mrs Juliana Omale, noted that in its fight against Sexual and gender based violence (SGBV), the state government had signed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, 2022 into law, and also created a dedicated GBV Directorate in the state in 2024.

“Having put the necessary legal structures in place, we have to dedicate nine family courts to be able to administer justice with speed and accuracy.

“The state government has also trained law officers and the Nigeria Police on capacity-building for prosecution of GBV cases as well as criminalisation of harmful cultural practices.

He, however, identified the culture of ‘blaming and shaming’ of victims, survivors, inadequate funding and ignorance of existing legal mechanisms for protection, as some of the challenges militating against the tackling of SGBV cases.

The commissioner thanked the organisation for the visit and expressed the Ministry’s readiness for collaboration and partnership in terms of training, sensitisation, and creating more awareness about SGBV.

Earlier, the Executive Director of Project Ebulejonu, Barrister Elizabeth Achimugu, revealed that the advocacy visit was the second phase of its ongoing sensitisation, advocacy and skills acquisition and empowerment support programme as part of its multi-pronged approach in the fight against SGBV in Kogi State.

She highlighted the importance of collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including Ministries, Departments, Agencies, NGOs, traditional, and religious institutions, to combat SGBV cases, especially among the uneducated and economically disadvantaged population.

“Anybody can be a perpetrator and anybody can also be a victim of SGBV irrespective of ethnicity, religion and geography.

“We call for change of mindset, more sensitisation in rural areas, preventive measures and the need for unrepentant perpetrators to be sent to jail to demonstrate the zero-tolerance stance of the government against SGBV in the state,” she said.