Idara Jerome, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State Government has declared that perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) will continue to face the full weight of the law after securing the conviction of eight offenders in June for rape, attempted murder and physical assault.
The state said the convictions—comprising five rape cases, two cases of physical abuse and one attempted murder—underscore its zero-tolerance policy against violence and its resolve to ensure justice for survivors.
Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady and Chairperson of the Akwa Ibom State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee, Lady Helen Eno Obareki, disclosed this during a thanksgiving service to mark the end of the 2026 Gender-Based Violence Awareness Month at the Presbyterian Church, Uyo.
She said the convictions, all secured within June, demonstrate the effectiveness of the state’s strengthened response to gender-based violence through improved prosecution, collaboration among security agencies and enhanced support for survivors.
“This sends a clear and unmistakable message that in Akwa Ibom State, violence will not be tolerated and justice will be pursued without compromise. It also gives survivors with pending matters hope that justice is not only possible but inevitable when we stand firm,” Obareki said.
She described the conviction for attempted murder, secured on June 25, as particularly significant because it was the first GBV case recorded during the tenure of the late First Lady, Pastor Patience Umo Eno.
“That attempted murder case is deeply personal. It was the very first case recorded during the tenure of my dear mother, Her Excellency Pastor Patience Umo Eno. That it has now resulted in a conviction is not just justice served; it is a testament that the foundation she laid continues to yield results and that her passion for protecting the vulnerable lives on,” she added.
Obareki said the administration of Governor Umo Eno has reinforced legal and institutional measures against gender-based violence by strengthening prosecution, expanding medical and psychosocial support services for survivors and making reporting mechanisms more accessible.
According to her, greater collaboration among security agencies, the Ministry of Justice, civil society organisations and development partners has significantly improved access to justice while reinforcing public confidence in the state’s response to GBV.
She also highlighted the intervention of the Patience Umo Eno Golden Initiative For All (GIFA), saying survivors have benefited from vocational training, business grants, sewing machines and start-up kits through partnerships, including support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Obareki maintained that addressing poverty, dependency and ignorance remains essential to reducing vulnerability to abuse.
“GIFA strikes directly at the root vulnerabilities that expose our people to exploitation and abuse: poverty, dependency and ignorance. When a family is stable, a woman is economically empowered and a child is protected by community structures, the oxygen is cut off from Gender-Based Violence,” she said.
She called on religious bodies, community leaders, government institutions and non-governmental organisations to sustain efforts at creating safe spaces for victims to report abuse without fear, while urging young people to champion a culture of respect, accountability and non-violence.
Also speaking, Secretary of the State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee, Barr. Emem Ette, commended more than 50 non-governmental organisations for supporting the month-long statewide awareness campaign and urged parents to remain vigilant, noting that perpetrators of abuse are often people known and trusted by their victims.
The thanksgiving service was attended by members of the Gender-Based Violence Management Committee, the Coalition Against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, development partners and other stakeholders involved in the month-long campaign against gender-based violence.