The Federal Government is working towards establishing a specialised court and judicial divisions that will focus on sexual and Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Minister of Justice Abubakar Malalami said.
Malami, who also serves as the Attorney General of the Federation made the disclosure while speaking at the 2021 International Women Day virtual conference organised by the United Nations’ office on Drug and Crime in Kyoto, Japan.
The conference themed “Special Event on Gender Dimensions of Criminal Justice Responses to Terrorism” aims to create awareness on sexual and gender-based violence across the world.
Speaking, Malami noted that he had inaugurated the Inter-Ministerial Management Committee on Eradication of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in a bid to address GBV in Nigeria.
He expressed dismay over the kidnap and GVB committed against women and girls by terrorist groups, adding that his office alongside relevant stakeholders works towards bringing suspected terrorists to justice.
“We also in collaboration with the military, police and other security service investigators from the multiagency Joint Investigation Centre, in North-East worked to include sexual violence-related charges against Boko Haram suspects”
The AGF said the present Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari believes in women empowerment as it enables positive change in any society.
“Preventing these crimes and bringing those who commit these acts to justice remains a priority of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Another emerging area of grave concern is the abduction and kidnapping of teenagers in boarding houses for ransom.
“The perpetrators target this group of people possible to scare them from schooling and this is indeed a sad situation.
“We must work to prevent both male and female perpetrators from carrying out these acts and support those who have been victims,” Malami said.
He said the Federal Government in partnership with the UNODC and European Union launched the “Nigeria Training Module on Gender Dimensions in the Criminal Justice: Response to Terrorism”, in an effort to give the Nigerian legal framework proper guidance in addressing issues of gender in the counter-terrorism context.