Abia First Lady Leads United Front Against Gender-Based Violence

In a decisive move to tackle gender-based violence (GBV) in Abia State, the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, has reaffirmed the government’s strong commitment to protecting women and girls.

She announced key initiatives aimed at ensuring swift response and justice for survivors, while launching a police training program in Umuahia.

While stressing on the importance of the training, the Abia First Lady noted that the job of the police is central to the success of the fight against Gender Based Violence, GBV, as first responders, reminding them that the issue of timely response, protection of the victims, collection and preservation of evidence rest in their hands.

She said the state government has formally inaugurated a functional Gender Based Violence response team and created a GBV management committee aimed to drive coordination and policy direction in this critical area, assuring of adequate funding for its activities .

The first Lady reiterated that Abia State is fast becoming a model for proactive, inclusive, and justice-focused GBV response—proving that meaningful partnerships can drive real change.
The two-day training, organized by Vision Spring Initiatives in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady, and the Abia State Police Command, brought together police officers, government ministries, and civil society stakeholders to strengthen a coordinated response to GBV.
“Gender-based violence destroys lives, destabilizes families, and threatens our social fabric,” Mrs. Otti said.

“It is a societal issue that demands a united strategy, a survivor-centered response, and well-equipped first responders.”
Mrs. Otti emphasized the crucial role of police officers as first responders in the fight against GBV, stressing the need for timely victim protection, evidence preservation, and justice delivery.

She announced the formal inauguration of a GBV Response Team and the creation of a GBV Management Committee to coordinate efforts and drive state-wide policy direction.

She also assured the public of adequate funding for these activities.

Representing the State Commissioner of Police, DCP Hayatu Shaffa expressed the command’s dedication to eliminating violence against women, girls, and vulnerable populations.

He credited the collaboration with Vision Spring Initiatives and the First Lady’s Office for improving community awareness and enhancing police responsiveness.
“This training is yielding real results,” said Shaffa. “We are building stronger relationships with the public and ensuring justice for survivors.”
The capacity-building program aims to equip officers with tools for a survivor-centered approach to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

The Director, Vision Spring Initiatives, Mrs Ngozi Juba, who gave a highlight of what the project is all about, said the training programme is still ongoing till Friday and would have another set of police personnel trained, engage girls who fall vulnerable to the act and have a dialogue with relevant agencies to see how to have a coordinated approach to responding to sexual violence in Abia.
Mrs. Ngozi Nwosu-Juba,Director of Vision Spring Initiatives, emphasized that the program continues through the week with further training for another cohort of officers, direct engagement with at-risk girls, and multi-agency dialogue sessions.
The program concluded with calls for intensified public awareness campaigns, better community-police collaboration, and a state-wide rollout of survivor-centered GBV response strategies.
Abia State is fast becoming a model for proactive, inclusive, and justice-focused GBV response—proving that meaningful partnerships can drive real change.

The sessions covered:
Definitions and causes of GBV
The prevalence of GBV in Abia State
Psychological first aid for survivors,
State referral pathways,
Roles of government and non-governmental actors in prevention and response.
Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Women Affairs,Ministry of Health,Ministry of Poverty Alleviation,Abia State Orientation Agency, and local government officials. Civil society groups and human rights desk officers were also in attendance.