By Williams Ago, Gombe
The Advocacy Centre for Development (AC4D) has held a round table discussion with gender officers of the Gombe State Police Command.
The aim of the meeting, which was held at the conference hall of the Command, was to build the capacity of the gender officers to understand the the difference between the Penal Code and the Gombe State Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law 2022.
The discussion was also aimed at improving legal understanding, case-handling procedures, and victim-centred approaches within the Command.
There are cases of gender based violence in Gombe State, many of whom are not or are being under reported, particularly, sexual offences against minors in several communities.
Worried by the long ugly trend, Ambassador Ibrahim Yusuf, the Executive Director of Advocacy Centre for Development (AC4D) and Chairman, Gombe State Network of Civil Society Organisations (GONET), explained that many of the survivors don't get justice due to the culture of silence.
According to him, while seeking for justice in most cases, they are met with brick wall.
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| Group photograph of stakeholders and participants |
He described such and many other barriers as frustrating, which does not paint a good picture for the society, while survivors are left traumatised for the rest of their lives.
However, in his opening remarks at the one day roundtable meeting, the Gomb State Commissioner of Police, Bello Yahaya, underscored the importance of strengthening officers’ legal knowledge, particularly in handling gender-based violence cases.
He emphasized the need for professionalism, proper application of the law, and enhanced collaboration with civil society. The CP appreciated AC4D and partners for their support before formally declaring the meeting open.
The engagement featured presentations from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the State Ministry of Justice, Jungudo Ali, on 'distinguishing the Penal Code from the VAPP Law, legal frameworks for responding to GBV' and Mwalin Naomi Abdu Esq, Gender and GBV focal Officer, State Ministry of Justice, who spoke on 'gender based violence offences under Gombe State VAPP Law and the role of the Police.
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| Participants |
Hajiya Zariyatu Abubakar, Executive Director, Wildan Care Foundation, also spoke on 'the role of stakeholders in the fight against GBV' while the participants made informed contributions during the discussion.
Most of the gender officers responded that they will create more awareness about GBV in their Divisions, do thorough investigations, create an enabling environment for complainants, carefully listen to statements, be polite, show empathy and sympathy to complainants and step down all they have learned during the discussion to their colleagues.
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