Nigerian govt to inaugurate committee on gender-based violence, says no mercy for rape suspects

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said on Thursday he would soon inaugurate the Inter-Ministerial Gender-Based Violence Management Committee to address the rising cases of rape in the country.

The AGF, who disclosed this in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Umar Gwandu, said the committee would be mandated to oppose bail applications and plea bargain proposals from perpetrators of rape and child defilement.

According to him, the committee is also expected to ensure that such convicted offenders do not get prerogative of mercy.

Malami said the committee would comprise “functional and skilled officers” drawn from the Federal Ministry of Justice, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.

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Others are representatives of the National Human Rights Commission, the Nigerian Legal Aid Council, the Nigerian Police Force, and civil society organisations.

He said: “As a people-oriented government that listens to the yearnings and aspirations of its citizen, the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Justice has identified with call for national response against rape and sexual assault in the country.

“In fulfillment of the Ministry’s mandate and its determination to urgently address this heinous crime, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will see to the following:

“The immediate inauguration of an Inter-Ministerial Gender-Based Violence Management Committee that will comprise of functional and skilled officers.”

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