By Leonard Okachie

 Nigeria recorded 27,698 Sexual and Gender Based Violence (GBV) between 2020 and 2023,  according to data on the GBV National Dashboard.

Breaking down the figures, Agbakaba said the ministry recorded 1,145 fatal GBV cases while 393 perpetrators convicted within the period under review.

Agbakaba said the dashboard also showed 9,636 open cases; 3,432 new cases; 1,741 closed cases and 1,895 follow up cases.

“The dashboard is an innovative central reporting and data visualisation platform for real-time tracking of different types and locations of GBV in the country,” he said.

According to him, the dashboard is designed to enhance SGBV reportage in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He said that Abia with 92 reported incidences and four fatal cases was at the bottom of the GBV national dashboard.

The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Uju Ohanenye said the training was designed to encourage Abia to key into the reportage of the national dashboard, following the increase in the rate of GBV.

Represented by Tony Iwere, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics in the ministry, Ohanenye   said that there was need to report the crime so that the perpetrators would be punished.

“We realised that most times, religious leaders or the traditional rulers suppress most of these cases in churches or palaces.

“Rape is a criminal case, no person has the right or mandate to stop such except the court and that is why we are escalating it to the front burner,” the minister said.

Earlier, the Abia Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Ngozi Felix said that there were lots of gender based violence happening daily in the state.

She commended the state governor, Alex Otti and his wife for their support towards protection and empowering women and girls in the state.

The commissioner said that no meaningful result would be achieved in the fight against GBV without the political will.

Felix also commended the FWMA for its commitment in the stakeholders’ training on GBV reportage.

“The culture of silence that abates this crime in our society is what we have gathered here today to break.

“We are going to formulate a structure that will help us to work together after this training so that we can have consistent stakeholder engagement ” she said.

 The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise is being organised in collaboration between the FMWA, Office of the Wife of Abia Governor, and the state Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

It attracted representatives of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Community Based Organisations (CBOs), law enforcement agents, among others. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Rabiu Sani-Ali