Abbas, House of Reps speaker, decries domestic violence in Kano, Kaduna

Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, has decried the mounting cases of domestic violence targeted mostly at women in some States Northwest Nigeria, especially Kano and Kaduna.

Abbas noted with concern that domestic violence had continued to increase, especially, in the mentioned States. According to him, 40% of the women in Kano State, alone have been identified to be facing one form of abuse, or the other.

Abbas made this known at the launch of the Northwest Zonal Sensitisation Against Drug Abuse and Domestic Violence in Kaduna on Monday, stressing the need for action to address these issues.

“Domestic violence remains widespread, with nearly 35% of women nationwide experiencing some form of abuse. In the North-West, the figures are even more concerning, as up to 40% of women in Kano have reportedly faced domestic violence.

“Violence targeted at women has remained one of the grave social challenges that have bedevilied the northwest, and this call for prompt action on the part of us all to address” Abbas stated.

The Speaker called for a strategy involving Government agencies, community leaders, and organisations to tackle the crisis, urging traditional and religious leaders to take a stand against abuse.

Beyond domestic violence, Abbas highlighted the rise in drug abuse in the North-West, noting a 25% increase in drug-related cases over the past three years.

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He said Kaduna State alone recorded a 28% increase in drug seizures in 2023.

Earlier, Mohammed Buba Marwa, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), expressed concern over the rising number of women involved in substance abuse.

“One in four drug users in Nigeria is female. In the North West geopolitical zone, three million people are affected by drug abuse, forming part of a larger national crisis where 14.3 million Nigerians aged 15-64 use psychoactive substances”, Marwa noted.

According to him, the NDLEA has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking, leading to over 57,792 arrests and the seizure of 9.9 million kilograms of drugs in the last four years.

Also, Lanre Issa Onilu, Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), called for urgent interventions to disrupt the link between drug addiction and rising crime rates.

“The fight against drug abuse and domestic violence must be a collective effort. We must break the cycle to safeguard our communities,” he said.