Following the increase rate and report on rape, the Nigeria Governors Forum has declared a state of emergency on sexual and gender-based violence against women and children.
The Chairman of the NGF, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, disclosed this in a statement released to the journalist on Thursday, after the forum’s 10th COVID-19 teleconference meeting held on Wednesday.
The Forum reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that offenders face the full weight of the law.
They also instructed each governor to create sex offenders register in their states.
Governors agreed to, “Declare a State of Emergency on Sexual and Gender-based Violence. Governors strongly condemned all forms of violence against women and children and committed to ensuring that offenders face the maximum weight of the law;
“Call on State Governors that have not already domesticated relevant gender-based protection laws to domesticate the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, the Child Rights Act and the updated Penal Code to increase protection for women and children and ensure speedy investigation and prosecution of perpetrators in addition to creating a sex offenders register in each State to name and shame,” the statement revealed.