Wife of the Governor of Abia State, Mrs Priscilla Otti, has empowered five survivors of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) with cash support and called on the Federal Government to develop stronger mechanisms to permanently outlaw the practice across Nigeria.
Mrs Otti made the call on Friday in Umuahia during activities to mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.
She described FGM as a gross violation of the fundamental rights of girls and women, stressing that the practice has no medical justification.
According to her, FGM exposes victims to severe pain, trauma, infections, complications during childbirth and lifelong psychological damage.
“Female genital mutilation does not make childbirth safer, nor is it prescribed by any religion. Culture is meant to protect life and dignity. Any practice that harms girls and violates their bodily autonomy is not culture; it is violence,” she said.
The governor’s wife noted that Abia State has taken a firm legal position against the practice, explaining that the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act has been fully domesticated in the state.
“The law is clear in Abia State. I wish to state unequivocally that Female Genital Mutilation is a criminal offence under our state law,” she stated.
She, however, emphasised that legislation alone is not enough to end the practice, calling for effective implementation of laws, sustained public education, proper reporting and strict enforcement.
Mrs Otti also urged traditional rulers, faith-based organisations and other stakeholders to take the lead in ending FGM through sustained advocacy, commitment and long-term investment.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Women Affairs in Abia State, Dr Maureen Aghukwa, described FGM as a harmful practice that inflicts deep emotional trauma on victims and, in some cases, results in death.
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She was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Affairs, Mrs Chinenye Nwaka.
Mrs Nwaka noted that despite global and national interventions, millions of girls are still subjected to FGM, reaffirming the state government’s commitment to protecting the rights of girls and eradicating the practice by 2030.
In separate remarks, representatives of the Child Protection Network, Caritas Nigeria and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), as well as the guest lecturer, Dr Ngozi Okechukwu, agreed that legislation alone cannot end FGM.
They called for intensified awareness campaigns and sustained, multi-sectoral efforts to eliminate the practice permanently.