HammerTimes News Online

Tag: #GBV

  • 2 girls rescue from forced marriage in Agale LGA in Niger State


    The Emir of Agaie in Niger state, Alhaji Yusuf Nuhu, has rescued two girls from their parents who wanted to force them into early marriage.

    Nuhu disclosed this to newsmen shortly after a sensitisation campaign on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) on Saturday in Agaie Local Government Area of Niger state.

    Nuhu said that the girls are currently in his custody and have refused to release the children to their parents until they allow the girls to marry men of their choice.

    “Here in my emirate, I preach against early and forced marriage, currently, I have two girls under my custody whose parents wanted to force into marrying men they didn’t love.

    “Until their parents agree to allow them marry the men they love, I will not release the girls. This is because if they are forced into the marriage, they might not live in peace as husbands and wives due to lack of love.

    “As parents, we must learn to respect the option of our children and we have been preaching on that which to some extent is yielding results,” he said.

    He described the sensitisation campaign as “key and timely” as it would complement the efforts of the council in sensitising members of the area against child abuse, early marriage and domestic violence.

    Earlier in her welcome address, Hajiya Mairo Mann, Chairperson of the state GBV Advocacy Committee, advised parents to open up on violence perpetrated against them and their children in order to get justice.

    She said the sensitisation campaign was to enlighten and educate parents and children on GBV and appropriate steps to take when confronted by such a situation.

    Mann advised parents and guardians to be up to their responsibilities by training their children on the right part as well as monitoring the peer groups their children associate with.

    Also, Malam Mustapha Yunusa, Director, Child Development in the state Ministry of Women Affairs, said the sensitisation was to educate parents on response and preventive steps to GBV such as what to do to help victims in terms of medical attention and financial assistance.

    In her remarks, Hajiya Tallatu Ekawu, Officer in Charge of Women Development in the Council, lauded the committee for bringing the sensitisation campaign to the area which had further expanded their knowledge and opened their eyes on what GBV is all about.

  • Roost Foundation, others want effective awareness to combat human trafficking

    By NAN

    The Federal Government, Roost Foundation and other stakeholders have solicited for massive and effective awareness creation to checkmate human trafficking, irregular migration, sexual and gender based violence.

    They made this known at a Town Hall Meeting on the prevention of human trafficking, irregular migration, sexual and gender based violence on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in her keynote address says her Ministry is a critical and primary stakeholders in the humanitarian and social sector.

    “Through the ministry, we coordinate President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda towards transforming the lives of Nigerians both home and abroad to ensure that they live a life of sustainable progress, where they are free from scourge of irregular migration, human trafficking and gender based violence.

    “Our agencies like NCFRMI and NAPTIP have recorded success in appending traffickers both home and abroad and ensuring they are prosecuted; some have been incarcerated.

    “To ensure that we make progress, all hands must be on deck towards eliminating the challenges of Human Trafficking, Migration and Gender Based Violence in Nigeria.

    “There is the absolute need for massive sensitisation to educate the people. This will go a long way to checkmate the menace in our society. Hence we look forward to collaborating and partnering with NGOs like Roost Foundation, the media and others,” Farouq said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that Farouq was represented at the event by Hajara Ahmed, Head of Planning, Research and Statistics in the ministry.

    Similarly, the Founder of Roost Foundation Dr Julie Oka-Donli said the government over the years had been working with international organisations to address the issues of irregular migration, human trafficking and gender based violence.

    She corroborated Farouq’s idea of enlightenment and awareness creation to checkmate irregular migration and human trafficking.

    Oka-Donli also hinted that bullying is a violent act and should also be criminalise to address issues relating to it.

    She,  however, commended NAPTIP and other Agencies that were in the forefront of combating irregular migration, human trafficking and sexual and gender based violence.

    Also speaking, Mrs Ebelechukwu Enida, the Nigeria Coordinator of AGA-Africa, said most people were not aware of what constitute trafficking, because they engage in it.

    “But, let it be known that, ignorance is not an excuse before the law. So the best way to fight, it is to create awareness and let people know about the dangers and consequences of it.

    “We had trainings for law enforcement agencies. This is to ensure that we share information and encourage trans-national corporation among African countries that have been part of us.

    “And, we discovered that it is actually working, because, it breaks the ice between these countries and as such, maximum corporation is achieve in combating human trafficking, irregular migration and Sexual and gender based violence,” she said.

    NAN reports that high points of the event were a documentary about Roost Foundation and an animated film on Violence on Children which emphasized on bullying.

    The vent attracted officials from Embassy, of Sweden in Nigeria, Ministries of Youths and Sports development, Women Affairs and from NYSC, FRSC, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Police and others.(NAN)(

  • Roost Foundation, others want effective awareness to combat human trafficking

    By NAN

    The Federal Government, Roost Foundation and other stakeholders have solicited for massive and effective awareness creation to checkmate human trafficking, irregular migration, sexual and gender based violence.

    They made this known at a Town Hall Meeting on the prevention of human trafficking, irregular migration, sexual and gender based violence on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in her keynote address says her Ministry is a critical and primary stakeholders in the humanitarian and social sector.

    “Through the ministry, we coordinate President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda towards transforming the lives of Nigerians both home and abroad to ensure that they live a life of sustainable progress, where they are free from scourge of irregular migration, human trafficking and gender based violence.

    “Our agencies like NCFRMI and NAPTIP have recorded success in appending traffickers both home and abroad and ensuring they are prosecuted; some have been incarcerated.

    “To ensure that we make progress, all hands must be on deck towards eliminating the challenges of Human Trafficking, Migration and Gender Based Violence in Nigeria.

    “There is the absolute need for massive sensitisation to educate the people. This will go a long way to checkmate the menace in our society. Hence we look forward to collaborating and partnering with NGOs like Roost Foundation, the media and others,” Farouq said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that Farouq was represented at the event by Hajara Ahmed, Head of Planning, Research and Statistics in the ministry.

    Similarly, the Founder of Roost Foundation Dr Julie Oka-Donli said the government over the years had been working with international organisations to address the issues of irregular migration, human trafficking and gender based violence.

    She corroborated Farouq’s idea of enlightenment and awareness creation to checkmate irregular migration and human trafficking.

    Oka-Donli also hinted that bullying is a violent act and should also be criminalise to address issues relating to it.

    She,  however, commended NAPTIP and other Agencies that were in the forefront of combating irregular migration, human trafficking and sexual and gender based violence.

    Also speaking, Mrs Ebelechukwu Enida, the Nigeria Coordinator of AGA-Africa, said most people were not aware of what constitute trafficking, because they engage in it.

    “But, let it be known that, ignorance is not an excuse before the law. So the best way to fight, it is to create awareness and let people know about the dangers and consequences of it.

    “We had trainings for law enforcement agencies. This is to ensure that we share information and encourage trans-national corporation among African countries that have been part of us.

    “And, we discovered that it is actually working, because, it breaks the ice between these countries and as such, maximum corporation is achieve in combating human trafficking, irregular migration and Sexual and gender based violence,” she said.

    NAN reports that high points of the event were a documentary about Roost Foundation and an animated film on Violence on Children which emphasized on bullying.

    The vent attracted officials from Embassy, of Sweden in Nigeria, Ministries of Youths and Sports development, Women Affairs and from NYSC, FRSC, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Police and others.(NAN)(

  • Roost Foundation, others want effective awareness to combat human trafficking

    By NAN

    The Federal Government, Roost Foundation and other stakeholders have solicited for massive and effective awareness creation to checkmate human trafficking, irregular migration, sexual and gender based violence.

    They made this known at a Town Hall Meeting on the prevention of human trafficking, irregular migration, sexual and gender based violence on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in her keynote address says her Ministry is a critical and primary stakeholders in the humanitarian and social sector.

    “Through the ministry, we coordinate President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda towards transforming the lives of Nigerians both home and abroad to ensure that they live a life of sustainable progress, where they are free from scourge of irregular migration, human trafficking and gender based violence.

    “Our agencies like NCFRMI and NAPTIP have recorded success in appending traffickers both home and abroad and ensuring they are prosecuted; some have been incarcerated.

    “To ensure that we make progress, all hands must be on deck towards eliminating the challenges of Human Trafficking, Migration and Gender Based Violence in Nigeria.

    “There is the absolute need for massive sensitisation to educate the people. This will go a long way to checkmate the menace in our society. Hence we look forward to collaborating and partnering with NGOs like Roost Foundation, the media and others,” Farouq said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that Farouq was represented at the event by Hajara Ahmed, Head of Planning, Research and Statistics in the ministry.

    Similarly, the Founder of Roost Foundation Dr Julie Oka-Donli said the government over the years had been working with international organisations to address the issues of irregular migration, human trafficking and gender based violence.

    She corroborated Farouq’s idea of enlightenment and awareness creation to checkmate irregular migration and human trafficking.

    Oka-Donli also hinted that bullying is a violent act and should also be criminalise to address issues relating to it.

    She,  however, commended NAPTIP and other Agencies that were in the forefront of combating irregular migration, human trafficking and sexual and gender based violence.

    Also speaking, Mrs Ebelechukwu Enida, the Nigeria Coordinator of AGA-Africa, said most people were not aware of what constitute trafficking, because they engage in it.

    “But, let it be known that, ignorance is not an excuse before the law. So the best way to fight, it is to create awareness and let people know about the dangers and consequences of it.

    “We had trainings for law enforcement agencies. This is to ensure that we share information and encourage trans-national corporation among African countries that have been part of us.

    “And, we discovered that it is actually working, because, it breaks the ice between these countries and as such, maximum corporation is achieve in combating human trafficking, irregular migration and Sexual and gender based violence,” she said.

    NAN reports that high points of the event were a documentary about Roost Foundation and an animated film on Violence on Children which emphasized on bullying.

    The vent attracted officials from Embassy, of Sweden in Nigeria, Ministries of Youths and Sports development, Women Affairs and from NYSC, FRSC, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Police and others.(NAN)(

  • Incest: Minister of Women Affairs recommend castration as punishment for offenders

    Mrs Pauline Tallen, Minister of Women Affairs has recommended castration as punishment for perpetrators of incest in Nigeria.

    Tallen made the recommendation at a news conference in commemoration of 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Abuja on Sunday.

    She described incest as the worst form of gender based violence, which required stringent punishment as castration.

    “Incest is the worst form of gender based violence and I advocate castration as punishment for offenders.

    ‘Let us name and shame the perpetrators of incest because it is the worst,” she said.

    The minister appealed to the media to amplify the message to end all forms of violence against women and girls and called for domestication of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act by states.

    Dr Natalia Kanem, Executive Director, UN Population Fund (UNFPA), blamed the prevalence of incest and other forms of GBV on conspiracy of silence.

    Kanem noted that incest only thrived where the victim was coerced into being silent.

    She expressed worry over the insecurity of the women and girls in home where they were supposed to be protected by the family but ironically are violated.

    “Sadly, the girl child who is supposed to be nurtured in her family is raped by the same family,” he lamented.”

    The executive director expressed the commitment of UNFPA to partner with Nigeria in creating a future where women and girls would be protected and dignified, saying, GBV was a crime against humanity.

    She urged Nigeria to support women’s access to family planning services and end all forms of violence against women.

    However, Ms Rachel Snow, Chief Population and Development Branch expressed determination of UNFPA to assist Nigeria conduct a credible and reliable census.

    Snow described census as critical element for national planning and development.

    She said that UNFPA was ready to support Nigeria to ensure that the census was transparent, credible and reliable