By Aderoju Israel
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, and the President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, have said violence against women and girls must stop in Nigeria for the country to make progress.
According to Vanguard newspapers, the leaders spoke at a two-day Northern traditional and religious leaders’ summit on ending gender-based violence and harmful practices organized by the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development in Abuja, on Tuesday.
Here are four important things stated by the invited dignitaries at the event.
1. The Sultan who is also the President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs said: “Government at the community level should put in place a sex offenders register to name and shame perpetrators and end the impunity around gender-based violence”.
2. CAN President, Ayokunle, stated: “The abuse of the girl-child and the vulnerable must no longer continue in our own time. All forms of gender-based violence is appalling in the 21st century. We should all rise together to eradicate them. Our society will be better through our collective action in this direction.”
3. Speaking to the Northern traditional rulers and faith leaders, the Vice President represented by the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen said: “You are the custodians of the society and highly respected in your communities. So, if you want to take action against perpetrators of violence against women and girls, we can have a better society and achieve greater result in addressing the menace of gender-based violence that is before us.”
4. The Vice President also urged state governments to further strengthen efforts to address cases of gender based violence in their individual states. He added that the Federal Government is committed to supporting deliberate measures to tackle the menace.
