Sokoto Records 883 Gender-Based Violence Cases, 22 Convictions in One Year
By Fahad Faruk Galadanchi
The Sokoto State Government has disclosed that 883 cases of gender-based violence (GBV were reported across the state between January and December 2025, with 22 convictions secured during the period.
The Director of Women Affairs in the Sokoto State Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Hauwa’u Umar-Jabo, revealed this on Thursday at the quarterly meeting of the Gender-Based Violence and Child Protection Technical Working Committee in Sokoto.
According to her, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons NAPTIP handled 251 of the reported cases, while the Ministry of Justice managed 32 cases, including those that led to convictions.
Umar Jabo emphasized the need for stronger collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to sustain the fight against gender-based violence.
She urged stakeholders to work closely with community based organisations, including the Community Awareness and Development Initiative CADI in Gagi District, to improve the reporting, investigation and prosecution of GBV cases across the state.
She also announced that the ministry would soon roll out a new online reporting dashboard to enhance case documentation and monitoring following challenges experienced with the previous platform.
The Acting Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Abubakar Na’abu, said a comprehensive database for tracking GBV cases, referrals, service users and case management would soon be operational to strengthen coordination among stakeholders.
He noted that awareness of gender-based violence has improved significantly, with greater stakeholder mobilisation and increased media participation in advocacy and response efforts.
Also speaking at the meeting the representative of the International Federation of Women Lawyers FIDA, Margaret Bala-Nggada, called for sustained public sensitisation on gender based violence and access to legal services.
She said FIDA had trained paralegals across Sokoto State’s local government areas to improve public understanding of legal rights and available justice mechanisms.
Bala Nggada added that the organisation is currently prosecuting seven criminal cases, including culpable homicide involving minors aged 12 to15 years, while advocating rehabilitation for the affected children rather than punitive measures alone.
