By Rita Iliya

Dr Umar Farouq- Bahago, Emir of Minna in Niger, has urged communities to accept survivors of abduction and Gender-Based Violence (GBV), rather than stigmatise them.

He made the call at a one-day sensitisation workshop under the muslim opinion leaders project on the prevention of GBV in Minna on Saturday.

The workshop was organised for community and religious leaders, spouses and families of the 35 victims of banditry.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop a collaboration between the Development Research and Projects Centre, (dRPC) and Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), with the support of the Ford Foundation.

Faruq-Bahago, represented by Alhaji Abubakar Yakubu, emphasised the need for communities to provide psychological, social and financial support to survivors to help them reintegrate into their families and communities.

“Support these survivors of GBV to reintegrate psychologically, socially and financially and equip them to return to their families and I commended the timely gesture of the organisers,” he said.

According to him, about four emirate councils of Shiroro, Munya, Paikoro and Bosso were affected by cases of kidnapping, resulting to GBV, and abduction of several women among whom are the recent 35 rescued women.

Speaking, the Executive Director of dRPC, Dr Judith-Ann Walker, said the workshop aimed to sensitise communities on the need to accept and support survivors in reintegrating into their communities.

Walker, represented by Malam Hassan Aliyu-Karofi, Director of Partnerships and Communication, dRPC, said the workshop adopted the Kinshasha declaration protocol to promote the rights of survivors for reparation.

He said the protocol also promote and co-create solutions for survivors and victims of conflict-related sexual and gender based violence in Niger.

Keynote speaker, Imam Isah, quoted Qur’anic verses and Hadith, which prohibited stigmatisation of survivors and urged communities to abide by their religious guidance in treating survivors of GBV.

Also speaking, Dr Umar Faruq, Director General of Niger state Religious Affairs, represented by Alhaji Ibrahim Mukhtar, called on stakeholders to continue to preach against the stigmatisation of survivors.

In his remarks, Chairman of Shiroro Local Government, Alhaji Akilu Kuta, represented by Alhaji Tanko Muhammad, commended the organisers and called on donors and development partners to come to the aid of survivors.

One of the survivors, Zainab Salihu, from Madaka community, narrated her experience during captivity.

“They came on that faithful Thursday in the afternoon during the 9th day of Ramadan fasting in 2024, they killed people and abducted us.

“We spent one year and four months in their hands and they kept us in the bush doing farm work for them until we were rescued,” she said. (NAN) (www.nannnews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz