Saturday, November 14, 2026

FG to set up mobile court for genital mutilation, SGBV cases

The minister said the ministry’s board of directors had given its tacit support to the ministry’s avowed determination to give women a voice in society.

• September 25, 2023
Uju Ken-Ohanenye
Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye

The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye, says her ministry has concluded plans to constitute a mobile court to try Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) cases.

The minister, who said this at a news conference on Monday in Abuja, noted that it would increase the visibility of the ministry’s activities in dealing with SGBV issues.

Ms Kennedy-Ohaneye disclosed that among the would-be culprits to be arraigned at the court were those still practising Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) to end the old traditional practice nationwide.

The minister said the ministry’s board of directors had given its tacit support to the ministry’s avowed determination to give women a voice in society.

“This will be done in line with Mr President’s renewed hope agenda,” she said, adding that they would work to allow the poor to breathe and not be suffocated.

According to her, the dispensation of cases at the mobile court will be in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Ministry of Justice, Nigerian Governors Forum, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and other security agencies.

She said partnering with other organisations was an innovative way to enforce the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act 2015 and other laws to guide against SGBV, GBV, and FGM.

According to the minister, the sanitary towels the ministry usually gives students will be transformed into a “Sanitary Pad Production Centre” as the old method can no longer be sustainable.”

She also said the ministry had stopped the old practice of distribution of gas cylinders to rural women.

“it’s no longer sustainable, as the ministry is now concerned about who refills the gas cylinder for these women when it’s finished,” she said.

She disclosed that the ministry would change the old support method to charcoal burners and bio-gas stoves because of its cost-effectiveness.

Ms Kennedy-Ohaneye added that the ministry had concluded plans to set up women’s cooperative societies to empower the women folk.

She said the scheme would be run in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Traders Associations, and other international organisations.

The minister assured Nigerians that its creche and other underutilised assets would be revived and begin to function optimally within her first 100 days in office.

(NAN)

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

Nigerian Bar Association

States

Independence: NBA urges Nigerians to expect better future

The NBA said that ordinary Nigerians should be deriving benefit from the subsidy removal rather than hardship.

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Teachers sit TRCN professional qualifying examination

NationWide

375 teachers sit TRCN professional qualifying examination in Kaduna

About 375 teachers in Kaduna State have registered for the second batch of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE)

Dangote Refinery

Africa

South African, Nigerian pension funds seek $1 billion stake in Dangote refinery

The applications form part of the refinery’s initial public offering (IPO).

Femi Fani-Kayode

Africa

Fani-Kayode accuses South Africa of excluding Nigeria from diplomatic event livestream

Mr Fani-Kayode said he would not tolerate what he considered disrespect towards Nigeria or its government.

Vice President Kashim Shettima along his wife, Nana Shettima

States

Shettima, wife arrive in Jos for Tinubu’s re-election campaign 

The spokesman for Mr Shettima, Stanley Nkwocha, made the disclosure in a post on Saturday.

ADC logo and Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Lagos

Speak against intimidation of opposition parties in Lagos, ADC tells ​Sanwo-Olu

Mr Ashiru appealed to Mr Sanwo-Olu to make a clear and strong statement condemning political violence.

CP Bode Ojajuni and deceased officers’ families in Ogun

States

CP Bode Ojajuni presents N10.6 million cheques to deceased officers’ families in Ogun

Mr Ojajuni noted that the financial intervention served as a tangible token of the Force’s enduring gratitude and institutional duty to stand by them.