Gombe emir reads riot act to GBV offenders, orders action against perpetrators

From Abdurrazaq Mungadi, Gombe

The Emir of the Nafada Emirate Council in Gombe State, Alhaji Dadum Hamza, has directed district heads and community leaders to keep a watchful eye on perpetrators of rape and other forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in their respective areas

The emir’s order came  as a response to the rise in incidents of rape and GBV in the region. The royal father stated this while speaking during a visit to his palace by the wife of the Gombe state governor, Hajiya Asma’u Inuwa Yahaya.

He highlighted the urgent need for immediate intervention:”At a time we expect to be good or first in agriculture and food production, instead we are doing good in rape and drug abuse”.

He added that there was the need to strengthen community involvement and promote a culture of zero tolerance towards all forms of violence against women and girls.

“As custodians of tradition and our community values, district heads, village, and community leaders must unite to shape societal norms and behaviors.We need to demonstrate a united front against this menace”.

According to him, the district heads have until Friday to set up committees to sensitise residents in their respective areas and to monitor and report cases for prompt actions.

He equally appealed to the first lady and her team, as well as other stakeholders, to employ grassroots mobilisation and sensitisation in combating the pervasive issue.

Meanwhile, on her part, the first lady disclosed that GBV has become a pressing matter, needing urgent attention in Gombe state, highlighting the need for traditional leaders and other stakeholders to step up efforts towards mitigating the growing cases.

Yahaya, who was represented by the commissioner of women affairs and social development, Asma’u Iganus, assured that the state government is committed to protecting the rights and dignity of women and girls.

She disclosed that Gombe State is ranking high on the national GBV dashboard. She said,”We are currently having about 87.59 GBV cases; this is very worrisome, and we need to act fast”.