Abia State Governor Alex Otti has inaugurated the Nchedo Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Aba, expressing optimism that sustained advocacy and institutional response would significantly reduce gender-based violence in the state.
The centre, located at the General Hospital, Aba, was established by the Abia State Government in collaboration with the European Union-funded Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme.
Speaking at the inauguration, Governor Otti commended stakeholders for their commitment to addressing sexual assault and other forms of gender-based violence in the state.
EU Partnership, more Centres Planned
The governor lauded the commissioners for Justice, Women Affairs, Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, and Health for their roles in delivering the project.
He thanked the European Union for supporting the initiative for one year and expressed hope that the partnership would be extended.
Otti said the state government had received requests for similar centres across Abia and disclosed plans to begin with the construction of two additional facilities.
“We hope to get to a level where such centres become unnecessary because the acts are abnormal,” he said.
Call for Moral Reorientation
Describing sexual assault and child molestation as aberrations, the governor stressed the need for societal reorientation.
“Our major task is to reorient our people and reinforce moral standards,” he said.
He also directed his Special Adviser on Health to assess dilapidated structures within the hospital premises and submit proposals for their rehabilitation.
The governor said the facilities would be upgraded within one year to align with his administration’s rebuilding agenda.
GBV Largely Under-Reported – Women Affairs Minister
In her address, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described gender-based violence as pervasive and largely under-reported across Nigeria.
She said GBV affected women, men, girls and boys, manifesting in physical, emotional and digital forms.
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According to her, the centre would provide survivors with safe and confidential medical, psychosocial and legal services.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim said that as of November 2025, Nigeria had 50 sexual assault referral centres across 24 states, which had assisted more than 58,000 survivors.
“While this progress is commendable, it remains insufficient when measured against reported and unreported cases,” she said.
Emerging Threats, need for Empowerment
The minister stressed that survivors require timely medical attention, psychosocial care and coordinated legal support, warning that fragmented responses often worsen trauma.
She raised concerns about the rise in technology-facilitated violence, including cyberstalking and digital harassment, and said institutional responses must evolve to address emerging threats.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim emphasised women’s economic empowerment as a key factor in tackling the root causes of violence, adding that protection services were central to national stability and social justice.
She commended President Bola Tinubu for declaring 2026 the Year of Social Development and the Family and praised the Abia State Government for prioritising the protection of women and children.
First Lady Urges Survivors to Speak Up
The wife of the Abia State Governor, Priscilla Otti, described the centre as a symbol of hope, protection and accountability for survivors of gender-based violence.
Mrs Otti said her office received numerous distress calls daily, reflecting the scale and urgency of the problem.
“Today, we say clearly that help is here,” she said, urging survivors to report cases promptly.
She described the centre as a major milestone and appealed for the establishment of additional facilities across the remaining senatorial zones.
One-stop Support for Survivors
Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Ngozi Felix said the centre was established to eliminate the trauma survivors face when moving between hospitals, police stations and other agencies.
“With Nchedo SARC, survivors can now access emergency medical treatment, forensic examination, post-exposure prophylaxis, counselling, legal guidance and referrals under one roof,” she said.
She added that the project formed part of a broader justice reform initiative, including the Sexual Offenders Register domiciled at the Ministry of Justice.
The commissioner said the centre would operate round the clock and provide free and confidential services.
Partners Call for Sustainability
World Bank representative Michael Ilesanmi said the centre reaffirmed Abia’s commitment to gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.
Also speaking, Danladi Plang of the International IDEA/Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme called for sustained funding, replication of the model and stronger prosecution mechanisms.
Head of the Section of Peace, Governance and Migration at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ruben Alba Aguilera, said the European Union had invested over ₦2 billion in supporting sexual assault referral centres across Nigeria.
The event featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the Ministries of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Health, Justice and Women Affairs to strengthen coordination in the operation of the centre.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
