Gombe-based organizations, the Wildan Care Foundation (WCF) and the Advocacy Centre for Development (AC4D), have expressed concern over the rising incidence of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the state.
The organizations raised the alarm on Thursday in Gombe during an engagement with magistrates aimed at strengthening the prosecution of SGBV cases under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law.
Executive Director of the Wildan Care Foundation, Zariyatu Abubakar, said the initiative was prompted by the high prevalence of SGBV cases across Gombe State.
According to her, the organizations began stakeholder consultations with the Nigeria Police Force last year to identify gaps hindering effective prosecution under the VAPP Law.
Abubakar said findings from the consultations revealed the need to engage magistrates on legal and procedural challenges affecting the enforcement of existing laws.
“We saw the need to meet with magistrates to identify obstacles and jointly explore solutions for firmer and more effective prosecutions that will deter perpetrators,” she said.
She stressed the importance of proper application of the VAPP Law, noting that lenient sentences in some cases had failed to discourage offenders.
Abubakar expressed optimism that the engagement would result in stricter sentencing and more decisive judicial action against SGBV perpetrators.
Also speaking, AC4D Executive Director, Ibrahim Yusuf, described the SGBV situation in Gombe State as alarming.
He said available data showed that 35 per cent of women experienced physical or sexual violence in the past 12 months, while 59.3 per cent had suffered physical violence since the age of 15.
Yusuf warned that if the trend continues, Gombe could rank among states with the highest prevalence of SGBV in the country.
He commended UNICEF and its partners for establishing a Referral and Assistance Centre in the state, describing it as a positive step towards protecting survivors.
According to him, the centre and other safe spaces would help reduce the risk of repeated abuse while supporting survivors’ recovery and healing.
“While psychosocial support is critical, bringing offenders to justice remains the most important aspect of the response,” Yusuf said.
He called for a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach and urged the state government to increase funding to ensure effective survivor care and the sustainability of support centres.
