NAPTIP Says Police Need Broad Understanding of Issues Around SGBV for Successful Prosecution

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, has said for successful prosecution of sexual and gender violence in the country, the police need a broad understanding of issues surrounding it.

Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at a 3-day training for 30 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Gender Desk Officers and Police Prosecutors on Handling Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Cases, a programme funded by the Ford Foundation, in partnership with the Nigeria Police Force, NAPTIP and Justice Research Institute (JRI), Waziri-Azi said “Police officers, especially gender desk officers, need continuous training to understand relevant laws, protocols, and investigative techniques to gather evidence, conduct interviews, and handle the legal aspects of SGBV cases effectively.”

She added that: “Investing in comprehensive training for police officers on handling SGBV cases is essential for promoting accountability, preventing further victimization, and advancing justice for victims.

“As the implementing agency for the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, 2015 in the FCT, NAPTIP has been collaborating and would continue to collaborate with the Nigeria Police to ensure that incidences of domestic and sexual violence are reduced in the FCT”.

She explained that the training is aimed at enhancing the strategic efforts of the police gender desk officers and prosecutors in the prevention of, response to and prosecution of sexual and gender-based violence cases in the FCT.

She recalled that in May 2022, NAPTIP and JRI conducted an intensive 10-day residential training of 40 gender desk officers from the 36 states and the FCT, noting that the training focused on steps in responding to SGBV cases, investigation, communication techniques for successful handling of SGBV cases, and data collection and management.

On his part, the Executive Director, JRI, Mr. Ikem Isiekwena, said: “The project to strengthen the capacity of the Nigeria Police Force and Federal Capital Territory Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Team to effectively respond to violence against women and girls in Nigeria, commenced in 2021 with support from Ford Foundation. This training is one of the outcomes of the project targeted at strengthening the capacity of police to effectively respond to violence against women and girls.”

He added that: “The training would help police officers adopt a victim-centered approach, focusing on the needs and well-being of victims. This approach prioritizes the safety, dignity, and rights of survivors throughout the investigation and legal process.”

Resources developed by the project were formally presented and they include: Training Manual on Preventing, Responding and Prosecuting SGBV Cases; Standard Operating Procedure on Preventing, Responding to, and Prosecuting SGBV Cases and a demonstration and handing over of the E-Training Portal for SGBV Courses to enhance the knowledge of police officers on how to prevent, respond, and prosecute gender-based violence.