Kebbi Assembly to Enact Laws on Gender-based Violence, Child Rights Violation

By Onuminya Innocent

The Kebbi State House of Assembly has expressed its unwavering determination and commitment to enact relevant laws to deal with gender-based violence and child rights violations.

The Speaker of the House, Alhaji Abdulmumini Samaila Kamba, stated this when a coalition of civil society organizations in the state, led by Tallafin Mata Development Association, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and Actionaid went to protest at the House.

They were at the assembly to protest the recent upsurge in incidences of rape, domestic violence against women and several forms of child abuse in Nigeria.

The Speaker and Chairmen of the House Committees on Women Affairs, Justice, Education, Health and other members of the Assembly expressed dismay over how the society was fast losing moral values and sense of compassion.

While lamenting the recurring incidences of paedophilia and defilement, the Speaker also said: “It requires a law to effectively stem the tide and eventually eradicate these social vices.”

In solidarity with the movement, the wife of the Kebbi State governor, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, who was represented by Aisha Ibrahim, the Chairperson of FIDA, encouraged the coalition to remain steadfast in ensuring that the ultimate goal of having appropriate legislations passed is speedily achieved.

She noted: “There have been several efforts in the past but, they were somehow truncated along the way, which is not surprising considering cultural misunderstandings.

“However, the rising incidences recently is a signal that unless stiffer punitive measures are put in place, the perpetrators would continue to escape justice.”

Dr. Bagudu also sympathized with the victims of the inhuman treatment and reiterated her commitment to work towards galvanizing every effort to eradicate the vice through education and justice.

The coalition had earlier visited the Ministry of Justice, Kebbi State, while they have held several deliberations with the wife of the governor.