The Kaduna State Ministry of Justice says its Citizens’ Rights Department handled over 180 cases in the last two years, with over 90 per cent involving sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Principal State Counsel in the ministry, Salvation Kyari, stated this during a multi-agency Training of Trainers on Strengthening Survivor-Centred SGBV Investigation, Prosecution and Justice Outcomes in Kaduna on Tuesday.

The training is expected to strengthen evidence management, case building, referrals and inter-agency collaboration, while producing certified trainers to replicate the knowledge acquired within their respective institutions.

Ms Kyari said the department was established to provide accessible justice to residents, particularly vulnerable persons who could not afford the services of legal practitioners or preferred alternative dispute resolution to conventional court proceedings.

She explained that though the department handled various disputes, including land, family, landlord-tenant and contractual matters, SGBV cases constituted the bulk of complaints received within the period.

According to her, the department provides survivors with an alternative channel to seek redress through a coordinated approach involving litigation, police investigations and other enforcement mechanisms.

She noted that the conventional justice process, which involved police investigations, submission of case files to the Director of Public Prosecutions and subsequent court proceedings, could be lengthy.

Ms Kyari said the Citizens’ Rights Department provided an opportunity for complainants to express their concerns and desired outcomes while ensuring that appropriate legal mechanisms were deployed.

She described the European Union-funded Support to End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (ESGBV) Programme, implemented by International IDEA, as a significant intervention in strengthening access to justice in the state.

“With a dedicated body addressing these concerns, vulnerable individuals now know where to go. Their complaints can be professionally handled, and this helps to restore confidence in the system,” she said.

Ms Kyari expressed optimism that improved access to justice and professional handling of SGBV cases would contribute to reducing the incidence of the crime.

Also speaking, the Senior Programme Manager of the EU Support to End SGBV Programme, International IDEA, Mufuliat Fijabi, said the four-year intervention was designed to strengthen Nigeria’s response to SGBV through legislative reforms, institutional capacity building and improved access to justice.

Ms Fijabi said the programme was being implemented in Kaduna, Benue and Oyo states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory and at the federal level.

She explained that its major components included reviewing relevant legislation, developing standard operating procedures for handling SGBV cases and strengthening the capacity of government institutions and law enforcement agencies.

According to her, the intervention focuses on changing harmful social norms, strengthening law enforcement responses and improving referrals to institutions providing counselling, social support and empowerment services.

She said the programme was also designed to ensure that survivors were not abandoned or lost in the justice system, particularly during investigations, referrals and prosecution.

Ms Fijabi emphasised the need for sustainability, saying International IDEA was working with state governments to ensure institutional ownership and continuity of the interventions beyond the programme’s lifespan.

In his remarks, the Officer-in-Charge of the Gender and Family Support Unit, Kaduna State Police Command, David Aku, said continuous capacity building had improved police responses to SGBV cases.

Mr Aku said the train-the-trainer approach would enable officers who participated in the programme to transfer the knowledge acquired to colleagues in their respective units.

He said the approach would strengthen investigations and ensure that survivors received appropriate attention throughout the justice process.

The police officer also attributed increased community awareness and confidence in reporting SGBV cases to community policing initiatives.

He urged residents and religious leaders to report cases to relevant authorities rather than conceal them.

Mr Aku explained that after investigations, cases were taken to court through a First Information Report (FIR) or charge, which contained the facts and essential elements required for prosecution.

Similarly, the Social Welfare Officer of the Kaduna State Ministry of Women Affairs and project focal person, Umar Mohammed, said the ministry was collaborating with International IDEA and other stakeholders to provide comprehensive support to survivors.

Mr Mohammed said the capacity-building programme had covered social workers, school counsellors, medical personnel in selected hospitals, local government SGBV desk officers and members of technical working groups.

He disclosed that the ministry operated a shelter for survivors requiring temporary accommodation and protection on Katuru Road, Kaduna.

He added that collaboration between the ministry, police and gender units had enhanced information sharing and coordinated responses to reported cases.

The four-day training, holding from November 3 to 6, has participants drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, state law enforcement agencies and Ministries of Justice.

The training also focuses on child-sensitive and disability-inclusive approaches, confidentiality, ethical management of survivors’ information and trauma-informed engagement.

(NAN)