Women Affairs minister, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim commends IGP’s GBV directive

The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has commended the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for his decisive action in expanding Gender-Based Violence (GBV) desk offices to all police divisions across Nigeria.

According to the minister, the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to strengthen access to justice, improve service delivery, and enhance institutional responses to GBV.

By decentralizing GBV Desk Offices to divisional levels and integrating them with the Juvenile, Women, and Children (JWC) sections, the move ensures a survivor-centered approach to case management, investigation, and support services, she said.

The minister noted that “To further enhance the effectiveness of this initiative, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs will collaborate with the Nigeria Police Force to provide specialized training for GBV Desk Officers.”

This training will equip officers with the necessary skills and survivor-centered approaches to handle cases with sensitivity, efficiency, and professionalism.

She urged law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, development partners, and community leaders to support the initiative and ensure its full implementation.

Hajiya Imaan also encouraged Nigerians to utilize the expanded GBV Desk Offices to report cases of violence and contribute to national efforts to end gender-based violence.

The minister reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to promote the rights and well-being of women and children, advance gender-responsive policies, and strengthen national mechanisms for the protection of survivors of gender-based violence.

Writing by Hadiza Abdulrahman; Editing by Oluwaseyi Ajibade