By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)
No fewer than 11 perpetrators of various degrees of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Sokoto have been sentenced and convicted in 2024, Aishatu Ahmad Kaoje has stated.
Kaoje, who is the State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) made the disclosure in Dankeni hotels at a one day stakeholders review meeting on Service Tracking for Child Survivors of Sexual Violence within the Justice System in Sokoto.
The workshop organized by the State Ministry of Justice in collaboration with UNICEF with funding from the European Union brought stakeholders from the security agencies, Sexual and Gender Based Response Team, Health Sector, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, and all CSO's and those of the Human Rights.
Giving breakdown of the convictions of perpetrators of GBV recorded between January and April 2024, Barrister Aishatu said, Iliyasu Abubakar, Wadata Danjuma and Adamu Aliyu were all convicted to 21 years imprisonment for rape case, while Sani Ibrahim was sentenced to 3 years conviction over crime of unnatural offence (sodomy).
Others are, "Bello Abdullahi, and Adamu Ibrahim Waga whose cases were that rape and both sentenced to life imprisonment. Sirajo Alyu sentenced to 5 years for unnatural offence, Aliyu Bello charged for rape but convicted to 21 years imprisonment for unnatural offence, Sani Ibrahim convicted for 3 years over unnatural offence".
The DPP however appealed to all stakeholders to collaborate towards ending all forms of GBV, SGBV, HP, VAWG as well as encouraging social inclusion, equity and participatory society where everybody will be seen as critical stakeholders.
Collaborating the position of the State Director of Public Prosecution, a staff of Nana Khadija Sexual Assault and Referral Center, who pleaded not be mentioned, said the center has attended to over 97 survivors between January to April, 2024.
According to her, the reported incidences which they investigate so far are those of rape and sodomy with 88 percent of the cases being that of rape and sodomy on minors. NNL.