ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Dr Gloria Diri, wife of Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has advocated the quick prosecution of sexual offenders and perpetrators of gender-based violence in the state.
Mrs Diri led a delegation of gender-based advocacy groups to the headquarters of the State Police Command in Yenagoa, urging the police to accelerate investigations into cases bordering on the menace in the state.
She said women in the state and other stakeholders led by members of the Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT) were against the attempts by offenders to negotiate with the victims’ families out of court.
She pointed out that the position of the team and the state as a whole was an affirmative ‘no’ to settlement of sexual and GBV cases out of court.
In a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of GRIT, Hajia Maryam Abeki, the delegation comprised Mrs Diri, GRIT members, the Director of Cenntre for Women Development, the Head of Gender Unit, State Ministry of Justice, Pere Amanda Egbuson, female engineers and State Chairperson of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Deme Pamosoo.
Others were women-led organisations including the Former Vice President, National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), South-South zone, Mrs Timi Idoko, Mrs Victoria Feboke and all former chairpersons of NAWOJ, Bayelsa State.
The First lady and her team were warmly received by the officers of the state police command.
The command assured the delegation of its readiness to always ensure all cases of gender based violence were thoroughly investigated and promptly prosecuted too.
Also speaking, the Chairman, GRIT, Dise Sheila Ogbise, stated that it was highly commendable, stressing that the development had reconfirmed the commitment of Mrs Diri to end issues of sexual and GBV cases in the state.
She said the steps taken by the First Lady would serve as a loud warning to intending perpetrators of GBV.
“This is indeed a loud positive statement made by the First Lady and which will not be forgotten by all Bayelsa people,” Ogbise stated.