ActionAid Nigeria, a human rights and social justice non-governmental organization working to combat poverty and all forms of injustice in Nigeria has said violence against women and girls is unacceptable.
ActionAid said women have rights to be treated with dignity and respect and this should be upheld by everyone irrespective of their social status.
ActionAid while reacting to Senator Elisha Abbo, representing Adamawa North Senatorial Area who dishonorably beat up a woman in an adult toy shop in Abuja, Nigeria recently said his actions can be described as criminal, unacceptable and repugnant to natural justice and order.
Speaking in Abuja, the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi through its Communications Cordinator Lola Ayanda said the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria recognizes the equal rights of all persons and states that no one should be discriminated against based on gender and other social classifications.
She said in addition, the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act 2015 also prohibits violence against persons in all form.
She said ironically, Senator Elisha Abbo who should be leading in the upholding of the constitution and other legislations, is the one contravening the law. He therefore should be held accountable for his ignoble act.
“While we appreciate the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the leadership of the National Assembly for prevailing on Senator Abbo to publicly apologize and set up a panel to investigate the matter respectively, we call on the Nigerian Police to arrest and prosecute Senator Abbo which is what the law states for such an offence.
“We commend the Nigeria Police on some of the actions taken so far and we will also like to use this medium to remind the Nigerian Police of the numerous cases of rape and other forms of gender-based violence that has been reported and are yet to be investigated.
“ActionAid Nigeria commends Nigerians, particularly the media for using their various platforms to speak up and encourage more Nigerians not to keep silent any more especially on issues that bothers on governance, justice and human rights,” she said.
