By Joseph Edegbo
Personnel of the Gender Unit of the Kaduna State Police Command in North West Nigeria, were on Thursday kept abreast with Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law of Kaduna State
The VAPP Law which was domesticated in 2018 in Kaduna State, still remain unused by the Police for the prosecution of offenders.
It was against this background Africa Media Development Foundation, AMDF, under its Rise Up Project implementation, Organised the capacity building workshop to empower the Police with the new law which carries stringent punishments than the Penal Code.
A member of the Kaduna State Observatory Steering Committee on VAPP, who was also the Resource Person, Barr. Amina Audi said the law is meant to send stern warning to would-be offenders with a view to reducing cases of rape, sexual harassment, exploitation and other domestic violent acts against women and girls.
The era of pack your things and go or forceful eviction from matrimonial home as well as deprivation of persons’ liberty are covered under the law with severe punishment on conviction, she emphasized.
Describing the portions of the Panel Code as “laws of yester- years and of miserable punishments”, Barr. Amina Audi stated that under VAPP, there is no hiding place for any offender who could be arrested any where and tried.
Barr. Amina Audi explained that a convicted person on sexual act could be called (name) by the offence committed even after serving his jail term.
She informed the police, the assistance expected to be offered to victim of rape, immediately a case is reported and subsequent prosecution.
On her part, a Civil Society Activist, Hajia Amina Kazaure tasks the police to do everything possible to bring cases of rape to the bearest minimum.
She told the participants that they are fully covered by the law which has taken care of customary and harmful traditional practices, hence the need for them to do the needful.
Hajia Amina Kazaure observed that although the issues are regarded as family affair, the rate is alarming and should not be condoned.
The Acting Officer In Charge of Gender Unit, DSP Maryam Zakari commended AMDF saying that they had been long looking forward for the training.
She stated that most of them had been ignorant of the VAPP Law and that was why they were using Penal Code describing the opportunity as “a wonderful moment”.
The participants ceased the opportunity to reveal rampant cases of sexual violence and how suspects spent years in detention over delays in trial .
They were of the view that the sensitization workshop be extended to the judiciary to check such delays.
Earlier, the Executive Director, Africa Media Development Foundation, Mr. Iliya Kure who had given the overview of the AMDF and Rise Up Project, enjoined the participants to relax and be very open in the interaction.
He told the participants that the training was meant to empower them with the law for possible and diligent prosecutions, assuring them of necessary support through advocacy.
The Manager, Rise Up Project and Fellow, Benjamin Maigari, who also spoke in the same vain, promised to strengthen the relationship with a view to assisting, especially in areas of their limitations.