FG vows to end sexual abuse, abduction of girls

The federal government has expressed its determination to end gender based violence against women in the country.

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), made the vow in a statement issued to commemorate the International Women’s Day.

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Malami said to end the crime, the government had last year set up the Inter-Ministerial Management Committee on Eradication of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.

He said the abduction of young girls in schools is a growing area of concern, explaining that the government is working hard to combat the trend.

“Another emerging area of grave concern is the abduction and kidnapping of teenagers in boarding houses for ransom. The perpetrators targeted this group of people possibly to scare them from schooling. This is indeed a sad situation,” he said in the statement Dr Umar Gwandu, his media aide, issued on his behalf.

“The Nigerian armed forces and law enforcement agencies are working day and night to combat insecurity, terrorism, kidnapping and abduction of people in the country.”

He said the federal government’s partnership with UNODC as well as the European Union had led to the launch of the ‘Nigeria Training Module on Gender Dimensions in the Criminal Justice: Response to Terrorism’; the ‘Nigerian National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism’; and the ‘National Action Plan on the Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325’ on the Women, Peace and Security agenda.