The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged lawmakers to enact and enforce stricter laws and penalties for those guilty of rape, sexual abuse, and other forms of gender-based violence.
She made this appeal during the 1st Gender and Social Norms Summit, organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in partnership with her office.
In a statement released by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, Sen. Tinubu emphasized that the summit offers a valuable platform for stakeholders, including the wives of state governors, to raise awareness, share experiences, and promote effective strategies to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV) and other harmful practices.
“We must also develop state-specific action plans and promote the allocation of adequate resources in government budgets to support gender equality initiatives and GBV prevention programs. Each state has its unique cultural, social, and economic contexts, and our plans must reflect this diversity,” she stated.
“There must be improved legislation to give, and enforce appropriate punishment to perpetrators of rape, sexual abuse and other forms of gender-based violence, who are dangerous and not deserving of roaming the streets. We have to speak, not only firm and tough, but act accordingly,” Senator Tinubu added.
She expressed deep concern over the rising number of rape and gender-based violence cases, describing the trend as alarming. “Every single day, we hear about rape cases, even our babies are violated. Do we allow this trend to continue or do we look the other way?
“That is why I am calling on the law enforcement agencies, the Inspector General of Police, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Chairman of the National Assembly, who is the Senate President, to appropriate and enforce stiffer laws and punishment for perpetrators of rape, sexual abuse, and other forms of gender-based violence.
No guilty party should be allowed to go free and start roaming the streets looking for the next victim,” she asserted.
In their remarks, the Ministers for Education, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, and the Ministers of Women Affairs and Youth expressed their support for increasing awareness and ensuring that perpetrators do not escape justice.
They emphasized that with better education for girls, youth development, and women’s empowerment, there would be a significant reduction, if not a complete eradication, of these harmful practices.
UNFPA Gender/FGM Analyst, Karima Bungudu, while presenting the UNFPA’s work in Nigeria based on situational analysis, highlighted that nearly one in three Nigerian women have faced some form of gender-based violence, with women with disabilities being particularly vulnerable.
She also pointed out that the prevalence of harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), child marriage—which can lead to Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF)—and other forms of violence against girls and women remains unacceptably high.
The event, which brought together the wives of state governors, state commissioners of women affairs and health, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders, culminated in the signing of the Compact of Commitment by the First Lady and the wives of state governors.
