The Bauchi State Ministry of Justice has urged students in tertiary institutions to report all instances of Gender-Based Violence on their campuses. This call was made during a one-day sensitization campaign held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. The event was organized by the ministry in collaboration with ATBU's Faculty of Environmental Technology and supported by the United Nations Population Fund.
The campaign focused on educating the university community about the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law and other legal frameworks protecting citizens from campus-based violence. The Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Sabiu Adamu Gumba, was represented by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Gumba clarified that while the ministry is committed to eradicating GBV, it must also uphold constitutional rights.
Gumba emphasized that the ministry will continue to protect the human rights of everyone involved, including the accused, until they are proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. The VAPP law, passed in 2022, covers specific offenses, including intimidation, assault, rape, and cybercrime, which severely impact women, children, and vulnerable groups. These offenses attract severe punishments when a suspect is found guilty.
Gumba admonished students against trading sex for grades, personal favors, or due to intimidation, noting that silence only emboldens perpetrators. He advised students, management, and staff to speak up whenever an incident occurs, as silence does not protect the offender but encourages them. The Solicitor General added that speaking out and exposing perpetrators can protect victims and innocent people.
The Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Technology, Prof. Adamu Babayo, welcomed the initiative, admitting that conversations around GBV have exposed deep-seated issues regarding harmful actions and gender norms within the institution. The faculty selected two student representatives per department across 100 to 500 levels alongside faculty staff to maximize the impact of the training.
Babayo expressed optimism that the participants would act as ambassadors to cascade the anti-GBV message to their peers and homes. He reminded attendees that GBV is a cross-cutting issue, affecting both males and females. Babayo stated that male partners can also be victims of GBV and should not be assumed to be immune.
Civil society also joined the call for absolute transparency, with the Executive Director of the Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative, Elizabeth Carr, warning against covering up abuses. Represented by Bulak Afsa, Carr promised that journalists across the state will deploy professional reporting to expose campus GBV, protect the dignity of victims, and create awareness.
Key points
- The Bauchi State Ministry of Justice, ATBU, and UNFPA have launched a campaign to educate students about reporting Gender-Based Violence on campuses.
- The VAPP law, passed in 2022, covers specific offenses, including intimidation, assault, rape, and cybercrime.
- The campaign aims to encourage students to speak up against GBV and report incidents to protect themselves and others.
