Nigeria Deploys Nationwide Platform to Track Violence Against Women Cases

…New system to provide visibility on investigations, prosecutions, conviction

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria has deployed a new nationwide reporting platform designed to track cases of violence against women from the point of reporting through investigation, prosecution and conviction, in a move aimed at strengthening accountability and access to justice for survivors.

The platform, developed by the Federal Ministry of Justice with support from the EU Support to End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (ESGBV) Programme in Nigeria and implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), is expected to address persistent gaps in case documentation, data coordination and justice-sector monitoring.

The initiative was unveiled on Monday in Abuja during the Deployment and Operationalisation of the Violence Against Women (VAW) Reporting Platform and National Validation and Capacity-Building Workshop on the VAW Reporting System.

The organisers described the platform as Nigeria’s first standardised justice-sector VAW reporting system, designed to consolidate information on cases from different states into a central database.

Speaking at the event, GBV Policy and Strategy Development Specialist, ESGBV Programme, International IDEA, Melissa Omene, said the initiative was developed to address one of the major weaknesses in Nigeria’s response to violence against women — the fragmentation of data and inadequate tracking of cases after they are reported.

“Reporting violence is only the beginning of a survivor’s journey. What happens after reporting matters just as much as the reporting itself,” Omene said.

She disclosed that an assessment involving 112 respondents from 32 institutions across the Federal Capital Territory, Benue, Kaduna and Oyo states identified gaps in data coordination, investigations, evidence management and justice-sector monitoring.

Omene said the National GBV Dashboard recorded 4,449 GBV cases in the first half of 2023, taking the nationwide number recorded since the dashboard was launched in 2020 to more than 19,000.

The figures, she said, highlighted the need for a stronger system capable of following cases beyond the initial reporting stage.

Also speaking, the Head of the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Unit at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Yewande Gbola-Awopetu, said the success of the new platform would depend significantly on the accuracy and consistency of information supplied by designated desk officers.

“Every field you complete, every case status you update, and every follow-up you log becomes part of the evidence base,” she said.

Gbola-Awopetu disclosed that the National Human Rights Commission had recorded more than 33,000 SGBV cases between January and May, while the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) documented more than 3,000 cases of violence against women in the FCT.

She said the figures reinforced the need for improved documentation and tracking of cases to determine what happens after victims report violations.

The National Consultant for the VAW Reporting System at International IDEA, Agharinma Ehiedu, said the platform would bring together information previously scattered across state-level systems into a single national database.

According to him, justice institutions would be able to access national data without having to contact individual states separately.

“You can know how many offenders you have, how many cases have been convicted, and those that are pending trial across the country,” Ehiedu said.

He added that the platform would also enable members of the public to report violations, with cases subsequently routed to relevant state desk officers.

He described the system as providing “full visibility of what is happening” to violence-against-women cases across the country.

Violence against women remains a major human rights, public health and justice challenge in Nigeria. It includes physical, sexual and psychological violence, domestic violence, harmful practices, trafficking and other forms of abuse.

One of the longstanding difficulties in addressing the problem has been the absence of a consistently integrated system for documenting cases and tracking their progression through Nigeria’s multiple justice and response institutions.

Cases can pass through the police, health facilities, social welfare structures, human rights institutions, prosecutors and courts, while information is often held separately by each institution. This can make it difficult to establish how many reported cases resulted in investigation, prosecution or conviction.

The problem is compounded by under-reporting. Survivors may choose not to report incidents because of stigma, fear of retaliation, economic dependence, lack of confidence in institutions or concerns about the consequences of pursuing cases.

Nigeria has also established legal and institutional mechanisms aimed at addressing gender-based violence. The Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) 2015 criminalises a range of harmful acts, including physical, sexual and psychological violence, while providing protections and remedies for victims and survivors. Its implementation, however, depends substantially on effective enforcement and, in states where necessary, domestication.

The country’s response also involves institutions including the Federal Ministry of Justice, Nigeria Police Force, National Human Rights Commission, NAPTIP, health and social welfare agencies, state ministries and civil society organisations.

The new VAW reporting platform is therefore expected to complement these existing structures by providing a mechanism for capturing and following cases across the justice chain.

Beyond statistics, the system could allow authorities to identify bottlenecks — including cases delayed at investigation or prosecution stages — and improve evidence-based planning and accountability.

For survivors, the ultimate test will be whether reported cases receive timely attention and whether perpetrators are brought to justice.

The ESGBV Programme and International IDEA said the deployment was intended to move Nigeria’s response beyond simply recording incidents towards ensuring that cases remain visible until appropriate justice outcomes are achieved.

The initiative also comes as Nigeria prepares for continued efforts to strengthen its institutional response to sexual and gender-based violence, with stakeholders stressing that better data is essential for effective policy, resource allocation and accountability.

Nigeria Deploys Nationwide Platform to Track Violence Against Women Cases

Several Killed, 45 Fulani Shelters Destroyed, Crops Razed In Targeted attack by suspected Mwaghavul miltia in Plateau Community

By Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Enduring peace have intensified security operations in Jwak Maitumbi community of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State following the killing of several fulani residents and destruction of about 45 Fulani residential shelters and large quantities of crops by suspected Mwaghavul militia.

The incident was reported at about 7:45 a.m. on Sunday, August 16, 2026, prompting troops of Sector 8, Operation Enduring Peace, deployed at Sabon Gari to move to the affected community.

A military security source told Zagazola Makama that upon arrival, the troops discovered that about 45 Fulani accommodation structures had been destroyed, while valuables belonging to the residents were allegedly looted by the assailants.

In the early hours of the attack, several residents were gunned down by the attackers before slaughtering them. The attack immediately triggered mass displacement with women and children and elderly ran for safety.

The assailants also reportedly entered farms belonging to Fulani residents and used cutlasses to destroy a large quantity of crops.

Following the incident, troops summoned the Galadima and youth leader of Jwak Maitumbi community, directing the community leadership to assist security agencies in identifying and producing those responsible for the attack.

The development is particularly sensitive because the conflict in parts of Plateau has frequently been characterised by tit-for-tat attacks, in which an attack on one community is followed by retaliation against another community, often resulting in further deaths, destruction of property and displacement.

The destruction of the shelters and crops could therefore become a trigger for revenge if affected residents or their associates believe that the perpetrators have not been identified or brought to justice. Failure to establish accountability could deepen perceptions of impunity and increase the temptation for affected communities to seek their own form of justice.

Plateau has experienced several episodes of this nature, with targeted attacks and reprisals often spreading beyond the location where the initial incident occurred. The danger is that the latest incident could similarly be interpreted through the lens of previous attacks rather than as an isolated criminal act.

The intervention was aimed at ensuring accountability and preventing possible reprisal attacks capable of escalating tensions between communities in the area.

Troops have continued to dominate the general area while engaging community and traditional leaders as part of efforts to de-escalate tensions, prevent retaliatory violence and restore calm.

Several Killed, 45 Fulani Shelters Destroyed, Crops Razed In Targeted attack by suspected Mwaghavul miltia in Plateau Community

Troops Repel ISWAP Attack on Mandaragirau FOB, Detonate IED During Clearance Operation in Borno

By Zagazola Makama

Troops of the 162 Amphibious Battalion under Operation Hadin Kai have successfully repelled an attack by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Mandaragirau in Borno State.

Security sources said the attack occurred at about 2:00 a.m. on August 15, 2026, when the terrorists launched a coordinated assault on the base from two separate fronts.

According to the sources, the troops, who were on high alert, immediately engaged the advancing terrorists after sighting them. The Battalion Commander reportedly led standby troops to reinforce ambush teams already deployed along likely enemy approaches.

A heavy exchange of fire ensued, during which the troops decisively repelled the attack on one axis, inflicting significant disruption on the assailants.

In a separate manoeuvre, another group of terrorists attempted to bypass the ambush positions and breach the camp through the river line. However, they were also successfully repelled by the troops, forcing the attackers to withdraw in disarray.

Following the encounter, troops pursued the fleeing terrorists, but the operation was later halted due to poor visibility and difficult terrain. Security sources said further exploitation of the area would continue at first light.

No casualties were recorded on the side of the troops, while the number of terrorist casualties could not be immediately ascertained. The situation in the general area was described as calm but highly unpredictable.

Meanwhile, troops conducting follow-up clearance operations along the Mandaragirau–Kana axis on the morning of August 15 discovered and safely detonated a command-detonated improvised explosive device (IED) suspected to have been planted in anticipation of troop reinforcement movement.

Security sources said the IED was detected short of a bridge along the route and was safely neutralised by the clearance team before it could be triggered.

In a related development, troops also discovered the corpse of a civilian who had reportedly fallen victim to another IED planted by the terrorists in the area. The remains were found a few metres from the detonation site during the clearance operation.

Authorities said detailed assessment and photographic documentation of the incidents would be provided as troops conclude ongoing clearance operations in the axis.

Troops Repel ISWAP Attack on Mandaragirau FOB, Detonate IED During Clearance Operation in Borno