From Abdurrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The wife of Gombe State Governor, Hajiya Asma’u Inuwa Yahaya, has launched a sensitisation campaign in the Kwami Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
The initiative comes as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), a global campaign that runs from November 25th to December 10th every year.
According to the first lady, who was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development; Asma’u Iganus, the decision to bring the GBV sensitisation to Kwami and other LGAs was fuelled by the high spate of GBV in the state, especially the rural areas.
Speaking during the campaign in Malam Sidi, the headquarters of Kwami LGA, Asma’u stated that the visit to the LGA was geared towards incorporating community support in tackling GBV in the state.
She said, “Gombe has about 87.96 in the whole country. Gombe is in red. That is why we are going to local government and other places sensitising the people. This will help them to know how to report, what to report, and what to expect when they report.”
The hospital fee is free, the police station charges are free, and we have our lawyers who will take the case to court. We want them to have the needed courage. In Nigeria, Gombe ranks highest in GBV,” the governor’s wife added while calling on the He-for-She network to support the state in the fight against violence.
Meanwhile, the Kwami LGA chairman, Dr. Ahmed Wali, described the statistics as sad, saying, “It’s unfortunate that Gombe is in red. It’s a major issue that not only worries the state, nation, and United Nations; that is why there is a commemoration.”
“It’s worrisome that we are in red. Women in the Kwami Local Government Area are working tirelessly as a team to ensure we combat violence. Anytime we have an issue about molestation, we usually treat it to ensure it’s curbed. Anything that affects a girl affects a mother and nation. We are looking for to working with you.”
Also, the delegation was at the palace of the Senior District Head of Kwami, Alhaji Aminu Abdullahi, where they got assurances that traditional leaders would support curbing GBV cases in his community.
In an interview with journalists, a Focal Person at Specialist Hospital and GBV Desk Officer of the state Ministry of Health, Bilikisu Aliyu, said no fewer than 130 survivors were treated from January to September 2024.
Aliyu noted that based on statistics the cases are sexual and gender-related, adding that although violence cuts across all ages, however, 14 to 19 years are mostly affected.
She said, “Statistics usually vary; some weeks we have 10 cases in a month, sometimes we get 30 cases or more. In a year based on reports, we have almost 130 cases comprising physical and sexual. From January to September, we have about 130 cases, excluding October, and we are still counting; the numbers are going high.”
The Focal Person who is a trained nurse, disclosed that stigmatisation is a major propeller of GBV. “Reporting is very important in curbing gender-based violence. For a case of rape, go to the hospital without tampering with evidence. We have to collaborate with police and civil defence; if they (survivors) tamper with anything, we won’t have the forensic evidence that we need. The evidence is from the first minute to 72 hours of the act,” she said.