Abia State Accused of Paying Lip Service to SGBV Fight Amid Rampant Injustice

The Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS) has raised alarm over what it described as a glaring disconnect between the Abia State Government’s public show of commitment to tackling Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and Harmful Traditional Practices (HTPs), and the harsh realities faced by survivors.

Although the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law (VAPP Law), domesticated in Abia since 2019, provides a robust framework against sexual abuse and harmful practices, CEHRAWS says the law has been left largely dormant. Instead, the state has focused on symbolic activities—commemorations, media publicity, and awareness drives—that fail to secure justice for victims.

Police and Ministry Under Fire

The Nigeria Police Force, expected to be the first line of response, is accused of negligence, extortion, and encouraging out-of-court settlements rather than pursuing justice, despite its constitutional duty to protect citizens.
Similarly, the Ministry of Women Affairs and the State SGBV Response Team have been criticised for inefficiency, poor coordination, and abandonment of survivors—undermining Governor Alex Otti’s stated reform agenda.

Cases of Neglect

CEHRAWS cited disturbing examples, including:

1. Item Community Case – A woman was violently deprived of her inheritance and banished under harmful customs, yet petitions for justice remain ignored.


2. Case of a 7-Month-Old Baby – A shocking gang rape of a baby by 11-year-old twins, which was handed to the State CID months ago, is yet to see any prosecutorial action.



These cases, according to the group, mirror a wider pattern of silence and inaction that emboldens abusers.

Failure to Uphold National and Global Commitments

Nigeria’s obligations under CEDAW, the Maputo Protocol, the Child’s Rights Act, and the Constitution mandate protection of human dignity. CEHRAWS argues that Abia’s failure to enforce these commitments amounts to a breach of both domestic and international human rights standards.

Call to Action

The group is demanding:

Adequate budgetary provisions for SGBV response.

Revitalisation of the Abia SGBV Response Team with full accountability.

Police prioritisation of SGBV cases in line with the law.

Immediate prosecution of the two cited cases.


Conclusion

CEHRAWS warns that Abia State must go beyond “empty fanfare” and show genuine political will to protect survivors. “Violence against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation, and it is perhaps the most pervasive,” the group echoed from former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The question, they insist, is whether Abia will continue to stage awareness campaigns while survivors languish, or finally live up to its constitutional and moral duty to deliver justice.