BY IDAHOSA MUSA
In its continued commitment to strengthening the implementation of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) laws and improving access to justice for survivors in Edo State, the Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP) has organised a two-day training for 25 police officers across the state.
The workshop, which also aimed to enhance the investigative and prosecutorial capacity of law enforcement officers in handling Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) cases, was held in collaboration with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC II).
The training brought together police personnel from three Area Commands covering Uhunmwonde, Ovia North-East, and Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Areas of Edo State.
Addressing the participants, the Executive Director of WRAHP and lead facilitator, Bose Ironsi, cited the 2018 National Demographic and Health Survey, which revealed that 33 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 in Nigeria had experienced physical or sexual violence.
She emphasised that the lack of access to justice for survivors remains a major human rights concern, underscoring the urgency of strengthening GBV response mechanisms nationwide.
“Justice remains elusive for many survivors due to weak investigative and prosecutorial responses. By equipping police officers—our first responders, with the right tools and knowledge, we take a vital step towards building a compassionate and coordinated justice system,” Ironsi said.
“We know that the police have a critical role to play, which is why we are focused on building their capacity. No one person can do it alone; it requires collective effort.
“That is why we’re training the police, working with community members to share information, and other groups are also engaging the judiciary. It’s a holistic approach,” she added.
Ironsi further explained that the training was part of WRAHP’s broader intervention titled Scaling up Access to Justice-Related Social Services for Women and Girls Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Lagos and Edo States, facilitated through the organisation’s Ireti Resource Centre.
In her remarks, the Edo State Coordinator of RoLAC, Uchenna Uwokechi, stated that the 25 officers trained at the workshop are expected to cascade the training to others in their respective divisions.
Also addressing the officers, the Commissioner of Police in Edo State, CP Monday Agbonika, emphasised that survivors must not be returned to the places where they were abused in order to shield them from further psychological trauma.
He reiterated the critical role of the police in combating gender and sexual-based violence in Edo State and across Nigeria.
Delivering a lecture on Gender and Social-Based Violence, the former Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Edo, Stella Ojeme Esq., urged the police to ensure thorough investigations in all reported cases of sexual assault.
Sharing her experience, CSP Mabel Airen of Ikpoba-Hill Area Command said the training had significantly increased her understanding and equipped her with improved knowledge.
The training also addressed systemic challenges identified by participants as major barriers to justice, including prolonged court proceedings, corruption within the police, “orders from above,” and the widespread culture of plea bargaining.
These were flagged as contributors to impunity and impediments to survivors’ advocacy and proper investigations.
