In tackling the menace and shoddy prosecution of Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Oyo State, the United Nations Population Fund project in collaboration with Oyo State Ministry of Justice and Centre for Population and Reproductive Health have organised a three day training for law enforcement agents.
The training which was on comprehensive investigations of Sexual and Gender Based Violence SGBV cases was held at the Conference Hall, Mediation Centre, Ministry of Justice, Oyo State Secretariat, Ibadan.
Speaking during the training, Senior Project Coordinator at the Centre for Population and Reproductive Health and implementing partner for the UNFPA in Oyo State, Tolulope Babawarun noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the increase of SGBV in the state and the country at large, hence the need to train the law enforcement agents who were handling such cases.
Mrs Babawarun maintained that it was imperative for law enforcement officers to gather and handle informations gathered from survivors of SGBV carefully so as for it to stand in court during the prosecution of offenders.
She stressed that cases had been lost and offenders escaped justice due to shoddy investigations and handling of SGBV cases which necessitated the training programme.
In a remark, a representative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Mr. Patrick Ikechukwu said the agency is striving to rid the state of illicit drugs which is a great contributor to the rise of SGBV.
Mr Ikechukwu opined that survivors of SGBV sometimes abuse drugs to suppress the pain of being a victim while offenders are influenced by illicit drug in perpetrating the crime.
He noted that though NDLEA’s mandate does not cover SGBV, he had been informed that the organisation could still protect victims, gather information and arrest offenders and hand over the case to the police.
Mr Ikechukwu lauded the giant stride of the organisers of the programme through the training in bringing down the numbers of victims of SGBV.
Also, a representative of the Nigerian Police, CSP Joyce Miyaki who expressed joy in attending the training noted that she was more informed and equipped in handling cases of SGBV.
Officer in charge of anti human trafficking in Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Mr. Afe Olurotimi said he had learnt to be more protective in addressing the victim’s problem.
The law enforcement agents unanimously agreed that more synergy could help in curbing the menace of Sexual and Gender Based Violence, SGBV.
Olumide Ogunbiyi
pub-5160901092443552
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