By Tina George, Minna
The wife of the Niger State Governor, Dr. Amina Abubakar Sani-Bello has described the laws and punishments against perpetrators of gender-based violence as too mild.
Bello made this call after a walk against gender-based violence organized by the Niger State Ministry of Gender Affairs, Raise Foundation and WRAPA, to mark the 16 days activism against gender violence in Niger state.
She called for stiffer punishment against offenders to serve as a deterrent to others.
“We need our laws to be strengthened because some of the punishment for these perpetrators are very mild.
“We need to have a legislature that will make punishments for the perpetrators stronger and stiffer than it is now.
“There is a need to look at the law and reform them so that they will serve as a deterrent for perpetrators and make them think twice before engaging in any act of gender violence. “
She lamented that one out of every three girls in Nigeria, have experienced gender-based violence and urged the society to stop covering up for perpetrators and break the silence to report them.
Bello stressed that the perpetrators of gender-based violence should no longer walk freely while the victims suffer in silence and pain.
The Director of Gender and Domestic Violence in the Niger state Ministry of Justice, Barrister Mairo Mohammed, declared that there will no longer be any hiding place for gender and sexual-based violence in the state.
She added that the domestication of the Criminal Justice law Act is underway in the state.
The UNICEF Youth Advocate Team Lead in Niger, Ibrahim Nuhu Saidu said that the walk against gender-based violence is a good initiative adding that the notion of men being adopted is a good one.
He urged people to stop being silent about these violence acts saying, “if you continue to be silent, more women will continue to be abused.”
The walk began at 7 am at the WRAPA office and the participants walked to the Paiko police station roundabout after which they returned to the starting point and dispersed.
