The Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission (PLASGEOC) has engaged security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to examine challenges affecting the investigation and prosecution of gender-based violence (GBV) cases in the state.
The engagement, held on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at the Commission’s office, focused on strengthening collaboration among relevant institutions to ensure that reported cases are properly investigated, prosecuted and brought to a logical conclusion.
Speaking at the meeting, the Chairperson of the Commission, Olivia Dazel, expressed concern over the low rate of convictions in GBV-related cases despite increased awareness, reporting and interventions by the Commission and other stakeholders.
She noted that while more victims and concerned citizens were coming forward to report cases, several matters referred to security agencies were not progressing to successful prosecution, raising concerns about delays, inadequate investigations and gaps in case management.
Dazel identified poor evidence collection and documentation, delays in investigations, witness intimidation, transfers of investigating officers and inadequate communication between security agencies and prosecutors as some of the factors affecting the justice process.
She disclosed that the Commission had several survivors in its shelter awaiting prosecution, warning that prolonged delays could expose victims to further risks and discourage them from pursuing justice.
The Chairperson also cited cases of child trafficking involving the movement of hundreds of children from Plateau State to other parts of the country, as well as the trafficking of young girls to Ghana, as examples of cases requiring sustained investigation and prosecution.
She called for stronger coordination between the Commission, security agencies and the Ministry of Justice, proposing the designation of focal persons, establishment of a joint case-tracking mechanism, periodic review meetings and improved referral and feedback procedures.
According to her, the Commission was also ready to support capacity-building programmes for investigators and other relevant personnel to improve evidence gathering, case documentation and the handling of sexual and gender-based violence cases.
Responding, the State Legal Officer, DSP Kpanang Yerima, acknowledged the challenges associated with the justice system, particularly logistical constraints and delays in court proceedings.
He suggested exploring special arrangements for fast-tracking GBV-related cases to ensure timely hearings and improved outcomes.
Similarly, a representative of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions in the Plateau State Ministry of Justice, D.H. Williams, identified inadequate evidence, court congestion and logistical difficulties, particularly the transportation of suspects and witnesses, as some of the challenges confronting successful prosecution.
Williams emphasised the need for stronger collaboration between investigators and prosecutors, noting that proper investigation and sufficient evidence were essential to securing convictions.
Also speaking, the Officer in Charge of Gender, Plateau State Police Command, CSP Dou Cecilia Sambo, highlighted challenges involving victims, particularly minors, who sometimes find it difficult to provide detailed accounts of incidents due to fear, intimidation or their relationship with alleged perpetrators.
She called for improved approaches to handling such cases and evidence gathering to ensure that perpetrators do not escape accountability because of weaknesses in investigations.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Ministry of Justice and Child Protection Network, among other stakeholders.
Dazel urged participating organisations to strengthen their commitment to the partnership, stressing that efforts to combat gender-based violence must go beyond awareness creation and reporting to ensuring that victims receive justice and perpetrators are held accountable in accordance with the law.
