SGBV: Anambra to Institutionalize Physical Register for S@xual Offenders
By Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The Anambra State Government has disclosed ongoing plans to institutionalize a physical register for s@x offenders to help combat s@xual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the state.
The State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Sylvia Ifemeje, revealed this during a one-day stakeholders meeting organized by the Ministry of Justice, with support from the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Program 2, held in Awka, the state capital.
Represented by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Barr. Ngozi Iwuno, Ifemeje explained that the state is in the process of institutionalizing a physical register at the Ministry to complement the existing digital system and improve accessibility across agencies.
She reported that Anambra has made commendable progress in prosecuting SGBV cases,noting the increase from the previous quarter’s report of 47 offenders, 11 convictions, and 12 ongoing cases, the state has currently recorded 76 offenders, 13 convictions, and 31 ongoing cases.
Ifemeje stated that the move to establish the physical register reaffirms the state’s commitment to playing a leadership role in fostering accountability, justice, and survivor-centered prosecution mechanisms.
During her address, RoLAC Anambra team lead Dr. Josephine Onah said that the register will be widely circulated and will contain the names and details of individuals convicted of s@xual and gender-based violence, including r@pe, defilement, and other forms of s@xual abuse.
According to Onah, the initiative is domiciled within the Ministry of Justice, funded by the European Union, and implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).
“This is another mechanism that the RoLAC program has introduced. The s@xual offenders register is designed to take account of and record incidents within the domain of SGBV in the state. It is a register that collates and recognizes all offenders, especially serial offenders who have been convicted and are likely to commit further offenses,” Onah explained.
She added, “This register provides a platform to name and shame offenders. By naming and shaming, people can access the register, view the names, and recognize individuals who are already convicted culprits.”
“The register is housed under the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) platform, which is responsible for coordinating and overseeing all matters relating to the register. However, the coordination function has been delegated to the State Ministry of Justice.”
“We want to sensitize the public on the importance of the s@xual offenders register in Anambra State. Many people are currently unaware of what the register entails, which is why we are embarking on this awareness campaign. Our goal is for the register to become common knowledge among the public,”.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) at the Ministry of Justice, Nneka Umeozulu, expressed concern over the rising number of SGBV cases. She noted that Anambra has recorded 90 cases, a significant increase from the previous 47. Umeozulu highlighted that the prevalence of SGBV is overwhelming, with most cases involving r@pe of infants and minors.
In her remarks, Rachael Yohanna, Chairperson of the Service Providers and Accountability Resource Committee (SPARC), commended RoLAC and other partners. She urged stakeholders in churches, communities, and schools to intensify efforts in the fight against SGBV by educating the public and reporting cases to bring perpetrators to justice and shame.
