Governor Alex Otti of Abia has inaugurated the Nchedo Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), expressing optimism that gender-based violence (GBV) will reduce drastically in Abia through sustained advocacy and institutional response.

Speaking at the inauguration at the general hospital in Aba, Mr Otti commended stakeholders for their commitment to addressing gender-based violence in the state.

The centre was established by Abia government in collaboration with the European Union funded Rule of La and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) programme.

The governor lauded the commissioners for justice, women affairs, poverty alleviation and social protection as well as health for their contributions to the actualisation of the project.

Mr Otti appreciated the European Union for supporting the initiative for one year and expressed hope for an extension of the partnership.

He said that the state government had received requests for additional centres across the state but would begin with building two.

“We hope to get to a level where such centres become unnecessary because the acts are abnormal,” he said.

The governor described sexual assault and child molestation as aberrations and called for societal reorientation.

“Our major task is to reorient our people and reinforce moral standards,” he said.

Mr Otti also directed his special adviser on health to assess dilapidated structures within the hospital premises and submit a proposal for the retrofitting of the buildings.

He expressed confidence that the facilities would be upgraded to acceptable standards within a year to align with his administration’s rebuilding agenda.

In her speech, the minister of women affairs and social development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described gender-based violence as “pervasive and largely underreported across the country”.

Mrs Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the menace affected women, men, girls and boys, manifesting in physical, emotional and digital forms.

She noted that the facility would provide safe and confidential medical, psychosocial and legal services for survivors.

Mrs Sulaiman-Ibrahim said that as of November 2025, Nigeria had 50 sexual assault centres across 24 states, assisting over 58,000 survivors.

“While this progress is commendable, it remains insufficient when measured against reported and unreported cases,” she said.

The minister said that GBV survivors require timely medical attention, psychosocial care and coordinated legal support, warning that fragmented responses often compounded trauma.

She also raised concern over rising technology-facilitated violence, including cyberstalking and digital harassment.

“Our institutional response must evolve to address emerging threats,” she said.

Mrs Sulaiman-Ibrahim stressed the need for women’s economic empowerment to tackle root causes of violence, adding that protection services were central to national stability and social justice.

She commended President Bola Tinubu for declaring 2026 the Year of Social Development and the Family, an lauded the state government for prioritising the protection of women and children.

Mrs Sulaiman-Ibrahim said that silence, stigma and impunity must not define survivors’ experiences and the centre must operate with professionalism, confidentiality and compassion.

In her speech, the wife of Abia governor, Priscilla Otti, described the newly inaugurated centre as a symbol of hope, protection and accountability for survivors of GBV in Abia.

Mrs Otti said that her office received numerous distress calls daily, reflecting the urgency and scale of the problem.

“Today, we say clearly that help is here,” she said, urging survivors to report cases promptly,” she added.

Mrs Otti described the facility as a major milestone in the state’s efforts to combat gender-based violence.

She expressed appreciation to the European Union and its implementing partners for supporting justice delivery systems in the state.

Mrs Otti said that the success of the initiative would be measured not by physical structures but by healing of survivors, prevention of reoccurrence and prosecution of offenders.

She appealed to the state government for the establishment of additional centres across the remaining senatorial zones to improve access to services.

In her address, the commissioner for poverty alleviation and social protection, Ngozi Felix, said the centre was a milestone in the state’s commitment to protection, dignity and coordinated care for survivors.

Ms Felix said that the centre was established to eliminate the trauma survivors often faced when moving between hospitals, police stations and other agencies in search of help.

“With Nchedo SARC, survivors can now access emergency medical treatment, forensic examination, post-exposure prophylaxis, counselling, legal guidance and referrals to shelter and social services under one roof,” she said.

Ms Felix noted that the project was secured through Abia’s participation in the European Union-funded Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, with the support of the governor and his wife.

She added that the centre formed part of a broader justice reform initiative, including the Sexual Offenders Register domiciled at the ministry of justice, aimed at deterring offenders and strengthening prosecution.

Ms Felix also said that the Nchedo SARC, located with the Aba General Hospital, would operate round-the-clock, providing free and confidential services to GBV survivors.

The commissioner said that the centre was expected to reduce re-traumatisation, preserve forensic evidence and strengthen access to justice while restoring trust in public institutions.

Also speaking, World Bank representative, Michael Ilesanmi, said the establishment of the centre reinforced Abia’s commitment to gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.

Mr Ilesanmi, who is also the task team leader of Nigeria for Women Project, described the facility as a fulfilment of commitments made under the Nigeria for Women Scale-Up Programme.

Danladi Plang, head of programme, International IDEA/Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, emphasised the need for sustained funding, replication of the model across the state and stronger prosecution mechanisms to combat impunity.

He also called for the establishment of shelters for survivors, noting that some victims were abused within family settings and may require safe accommodation after receiving treatment.

In his remarks, Ruben Alba Aguilera, head of the Section of  Peace, Governance and Migration at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, stated that the European Union had invested over N2 billion in supporting Sexual Assault Referral Centres across Nigeria.

Mr Aguilera stressed that prevention and protection remained central pillars inaddressing GBV.

He urged both state and federal governments to ensure sustainability of the centres beyond donor funding.

The event featured the signing of the state’s SARC Memorandum of Understanding by the ministries of poverty alleviation and social protection, health, justice and women affairs to facilitate better cooperation in the operations of the centre.

(NAN)