The Nigeria Police in Borno State have called for stringent laws to stop the withdrawal of rape and other sexual violence cases by relations of victims in court.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in Borno, DCP Ahmad Bello, made the call in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, in his contribution at a stakeholders’ consultative meeting on Enhancing Gender-Responsive Security Operations and Community Dialogue, organised by UN Women in collaboration with the Borno Ministry of Women Affairs.
Bello said another major thing that needs to be addressed is the culture of silence and stigmatisation of rape and other sexual violence victims.
Bello called for laws to keep requests for withdrawal of the cases under KIV for some period of time to enable the victim to finally decide on the matter.