Following the increase in rape and gruesome murder of some victims, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has declared a state of emergency on the sexual and gender-based violence against women and children.
This was contained in a communique issued in Abuja and signed by the Chairman of the NGF, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, after the forum’s 10th COVID-19 virtual meeting held on Wednesday.
The Governors strongly condemned all forms of violence against women and children and said, they were committed to ensuring that offenders face the maximum weight of the law;
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The forum also called on its member states which are yet to domesticate the Gender-Based Violence Prohibition law to do so as a matter of urgency.
“Call on State Governors that have not already domesticated relevant gender-based protection laws to domesticate the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, the Child Rights Act and the updated Penal Code to increase protection for women and children and ensure speedy investigation and prosecution of perpetrators in addition to creating a sex offenders register in each State to name and shame.”
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