Gender-Based Violence: Bagudu’s wife takes campaign to grassroots, seeks massive efforts to end menace

From Olanrewaju Lawal Birnin Kebbi

  Bagudu, alongside top female cabinet members of the Kebbi state government, took the rally, which kicked off at the Emir of Gwandu palace, Birnin Kebbi, to major streets in the state capital to sensitise the people on the need to end the violence against vulnerable ones.

    The rally, which was part of the activities line-up for “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence”, a program organised by Kebbi State GBV Technical Working Group, also involved many Civil Societies and nongovernmental organizations.

  While speaking at the town hall meeting shortly after the rally, Dr. Bagudu said that ” we thank His Excellency, the Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for his doggedness, determination and support to ensure that these laws are passed.

“He is willing to sign it into law to make sure that it’s part of our laws in the state and we will see that within a very short time. However, passage is one thing and implementation is another thing. Over 80 percent of people in Nigeria reside in rural areas, they don’t know about laws, they are governed by their own laws, laws of the society, laws of their religion or laws of their culture.

“And these laws that we have in the justice system do not mean so much to them but I do agree that we need to have a scent society where these laws from the foundation of giving access to justice for our people, that’s why we fought hard to ensure that these laws are there,” she said.

“A lot of you in this hall might be guilty of abuse. You need to know that by simply looking at a girl and say look at her, degrading her, it is a form of abuse. If, in your class, you look at a boy and castigate him, is also a form of abuse.”

“I want you to understand that there are many forms of abuse, abuse does not mean taking your hand and beating somebody or inflicting injuries, these are the extreme forms,” the governor’s wife noted,” she said.

In her speech, the Kebbi State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice,

Justice, Hajiya Rahmatu Adamu Gulma,

expressed appreciation that the GBV and Child Right Act had been passed by the House of Assembly, awaiting accent to by the state governor.

She explained that both bills were Executive Bills sent to the state assembly, adding that when the bill was brought to the Governor for assent, he identified some corrections which would be done and would be taken back to him for assent.

  She encouraged parents and the general public to report all acts of violence against children to the appropriate authorities so that,the society could be free of such menace.