The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has said the establishment of a Command in the Federal Capital Territory to tackle all cases of Violence Against Persons especially Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) within the nation’s capital.
Speaking in Abuja at the 2024 Stakeholder’s Coordination Meeting on the implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 and Corresponding State Laws, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello said:
“To further illustrate and solidify our commitment towards eradicating this social menace, I am glad to inform you that the Agency is proposing the establishment of a Command in the F.C.T to tackle all cases of Violence Against Persons especially SGBV within the nation’s capital. It is expected that the Command will enhance quicker response to SGBV cases, improve coordination among stakeholders, provide specialized support services for survivors and strengthen the investigation and prosecution of SGBV cases.”
The DG, who was represented by the Director of Research and Programme Development, Mr Josiah Emerole, said with the latest move, “We believe that this Command will serve as a model for other states and strengthen our collective efforts to eradicate SGBV within the F.C.T.”
On her expectations from the meeting, she said: “I also have the strong conviction that we will leave here with a renewed vision towards eradicating the ills associated with violence against persons and in turn make the country safer and more habitable.”
She stated that: “The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) remains committed to working with all States, the mandate Secretary of the Women Affairs Secretariat of the FCT and the Civil Society Organisations in the implementation of these laws as this will improve the coordination and synergy needed to ensure the effective implementation and building a society where everyone sees violence in any manner as an anathema to societal growth.”
She charged that: “While wishing you fruitful deliberations, I implore all participants to see the fight against violence against persons as one we must win through collective engagement and actions. The days of working in silos are over and the time for better synergy is now and beginning from whatever we do in this room today.”
In her welcome remarks, the Acting Director, Violence Against Persons Department, NAPTIP, Mrs. Toyota Odugbesan while thanking the Ford Foundation for its support, said: “Today’s meeting is an important time for us, to connect, proffer guidance, reflect on our concerns, review major successes, identity gaps, discuss challenges, assess the level and effectiveness of interventions efforts and proffer recommendations and far-reaching strategies associated with the implementation of the VAPP Act 2015 and State Violence against Persons (Prohibition) interventions efforts in the country for future programming.”
She noted that: “The discussion today therefore will be an opportunity for us to engage on the results achieved and how we can better our activities towards achieving the vision of the Beijing Conference including SDG 5 (1-3) which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
“To speedily ensure an end to: all forms of discrimination, violence against women and girls, in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and other types of exploitation, all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.
“We must therefore, increase the tempo of our current efforts to keep hope alive in protecting and upholding the rights of our vulnerable Women and Children across the Nation.”
