A Federal High Court judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, has called for intensified collective efforts to combat Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), describing it as a widespread issue with deep societal consequences. He made the appeal on Thursday in Abuja during the launch of the SGBV Investigator Aide-Memoire Card, a tool designed to improve forensic investigation and prosecution of SGBV cases linked to terrorism in Borno State. The project is funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and implemented in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Justice Egwuatu defined SGBV as any act rooted in gender norms and unequal power dynamics, listing rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, child marriage, female genital mutilation, harassment and economic abuse as examples. He noted that the crime disproportionately affects women and girls, though men and boys also suffer in silence due to stigma. The judge highlighted severe consequences, including physical injury, unwanted pregnancies, HIV transmission, psychological trauma and death. Survivors often face long-term emotional distress, broken relationships and difficulty reintegrating into society, he said. Egwuatu pointed to systemic challenges such as underreporting, weak justice mechanisms, poor evidence handling, low conviction rates and insufficient medical, legal and psychological support. Harmful cultural norms like patriarchy and victim-blaming, he added, perpetuate the cycle of violence. He stressed that families, schools, religious institutions and civil society must all play a role in ending SGBV. "We must believe survivors, show empathy, expose perpetrators and encourage victims to report these crimes," he said. Wilma Endamne, Senior Project Manager at GAC, affirmed Canada's ongoing support for Nigeria's SGBV response through training and operational tools. She praised the UNODC and national partners for developing the guide. UNODC Country Representative Cheikh Toure thanked Canada and other stakeholders for their contributions.
Justice Egwuatu demands collective action against SGBV while acknowledging that survivors are failed by broken systems he has no power to fix. The same courts that hear these cases still operate within a justice framework that allows delays, poor evidence handling and low convictions to persist. Nigerians who report SGBV face a system that demands courage but offers little protection or certainty. The call for unity sounds hollow when the institutions meant to lead the charge are part of the problem.
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