Alliance seeks Emir’s support for domestication of VAPP Act in Gombe

The Alliance for Domestication of Violence Against Persons (Prohibition), VAPP, an NGO, is seeking the support of the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu-Abubakar III, to fast-track domestication of the Act in the state.

Speaking during an advocacy visit to the Monarch in Gombe, Mrs Dudu Manuga, the State Co-ordinator of VAPP Alliance, said the rate of gender-based violence in the state was an indication for action.

Manuga said the domestication of the act would help curtail the increasing cases of gender-based violence; adding that the report of gender-based violence for Gombe state in 2018 and 2019 was frightening.

“In 2018, a Human Rights Commission report released in early 2019, had it that there were more than 300 reported cases of domestic violence in Gombe State alone,” she said.

Manuga decried the poor rating of Gombe state in a recent assessment on sexual and gender-based violence, adding that the state was worse hit in Nigeria when it came to sexual and gender based violence.

She said that another worrisome issue was the fact that the state was ranked as the second highest in rape cases in the country.

According to her, their visit to the royal father is to seek his support, having paid similar advocacies to different stakeholders, to enlighten them on the the dangerous trend and the need to act fast in Gombe.

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“We came to seek His Royal Highness’ support, collaboration and commitment, so that together we are going to fight this cause and win.

“We are happy the Emir has gone beyond just saying he is supporting us to keeping his doors open for us anytime,” she said.

The monarch, who encouraged the group, said the alliance had his blessing, and was free to visit anytime to advance the course of domesticating the act in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the VAPP bill, following agitations for protection of persons against different forms of violence, was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate in 2013 and 2015 respectively; and signed into law on May 28, 2015, by President Muhammadu Buhari. (NAN)