… Urges Judiciary To Reconsider Bail Application In Severe GBV Cases
By Helen Udofa
UYO
The Akwa Ibom government has reaffirmed its commitment towards strengthening the enforcement of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, while also protecting survivors’ rights and ensuring access to justice.
State Attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Uko Udom, SAN, made this known while flagging off the June 2026 Gender-Based Violence Awareness Month, at the Conference Hall of the State Ministry of Justice, Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat Complex, Uyo, Monday.
Udom hinted, “Today, we gather not merely to mark a date on the calendar, but to reaffirm a covenant between this government and every citizen – especially the most vulnerable. June is Gender-Based Violence Awareness Month in our state.
He said six years after passing the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law in 2020, the VAPP law is not a dusty document, “It is a living, breathing instrument of change,” noting that this year’s theme was a reminder that awareness alone is not enough, adding, “We have moved beyond sensitization. We are now firmly in the era of implementation.”
As prove of Akwa Ibom’s progress in enforcing the VAPP Law, the attorney general disclosed that “Since the passage of the AKS VAPP Law in June 2020, we have recorded over 2,000 reported cases of gender-based violence across the state. Out of these, we have secured over 100 convictions. These are not just statistics. Each reported case is a survivor who chose to break the silence. Each conviction is a message that impunity will no longer be tolerated in Akwa Ibom State”.
He saw the increase in reported cases of sexual and gender-based violence over the years as evidence of growing public confidence in the justice system rather than a worsening situation, noting that survivors who previously suffered in silence due to fear and dread of social stigma and fear of future attacks from accused persons awaiting trial, are increasingly reporting incidents because they have come to believe the state will respond and pursue justice.
However, the justice commissioner expressed concern over the granting of bail to suspects in severe GBV cases which often exposes survivors and witnesses to intimidation and further trauma; as well as cultural practices and societal attitudes that continue to undermine efforts to combat gender-based violence; in addition to condemning attempts by families and communities to pressure and threaten survivors into withdrawing cases through informal settlements.
Udom called on judicial officers to use discretion while considering bail applications in serious GBV matters, and emphasized the need to prioritize safety of survivors and witnesses, while upholding the principles of fair hearing, bearing in mind that the threat of witness intimidation, retaliation, and re-victimization makes these cases fundamentally different.
“Let me say this plainly: When an abuser, who has broken a victim’s bones returns home on bail to the same compound where the survivor and witnesses live, what message have we sent? That his freedom matters more than her safety. That the law protects the accused more than the living,” he said, pointing out that “This is not justice. This is a structural failure that we must address.”
Speaking further about the disturbing reality of bail and jurisprudence, he mentioned a recent case of spousal battery of which the survivor came to court and told the judge she was no longer interested in prosecuting the case, because pressure was applied in addition to fear of stigma, of losing her children, of economic collapse-silenced her, saying this was not her failure but a collective failure to protect her from those forces.
He called on judicial officers to exercise discretion in considering bail applications in serious GBV matters, emphasizing the need to prioritize the safety of survivors and witnesses while upholding the principles of fair hearing.
He outlined concrete actions the State government has taken to implement the AKS VAPP Law since 2020 to include the establishment of a Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Department within the Ministry of Justice; established shelters and skill acquisition centres for survivors across the State; built Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) in strategic locations to provide free medical and psychosocial services; and set up GBV response units in all 31 local government areas; expanded the justice workforce by training service providers – including community health workers, social welfare officers, and security personnel – as paralegals; as well as engaged traditional institutions.
Director in charge of Sexual and Gender Based Violence Response Department in the Ministry of Justice, Barr Emem Ette, who is also the secretary, Akwa Ibom State GBV Management Committee, said each gender-based violence case is unique and should be handled according to its peculiar circumstances.
According to her, statistics from the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Department of the Ministry of Justice indicated that between January and May 2020 alone, a total of 161 GBV cases were recorded across Akwa Ibom, out of which Spouse battery accounted for 61 cases – the highest number of reported incidents.
This was followed by threat to life and physical assault which had 46 cases; rape cases stood at 26; abandonment and forceful eviction was 18 recorded cases; and 10 cases of harmful widowhood practices.
She restated the committee’s commitment to supporting community-driven regulations that align with cultural realities, while remaining consistent with existing legal frameworks.
Themed: “Implementing the AKS VAPP Law: From Awareness to Action,” the event brought together civil society organizations, security agencies, survivors, advocates and journalists.
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