IBADAN — The Oyo State Police Command has identified inadequate logistics, financial constraints, and cultural concealment as major bottlenecks hindering the effective investigation and prosecution of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) cases across the state.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, made this disclosure on Monday while hosting members of the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Media Corps during an advocacy visit to the command headquarters in Ibadan.
Olugbenga revealed that despite setting up specially designated gender desks across all 33 local government areas of the state, the command continues to grapple with severe funding shortages that stall investigations, timely medical examinations, and the collection of vital expert evidence.
“The fact remains that we have our challenges. But if you don’t understand how we operate, you will take us to the slaughterhouse,” the CP warned.
Aside from the financial bottleneck, the police boss also highlighted that the danger of ‘Out-of-Court’ Settlements continues to limit the command’s drive towards achieving its goals as regards getting justice.
“Families sweep incest and defilement cases under the rug or accept monetary compensation from perpetrators due to cultural pressure or fear of sending relatives to prison.”
However, he disclosed that, despite the hurdles, the command has recorded major successes in child trafficking in the state.
Highlighting recent successes, the CP disclosed that the command successfully dismantled a trafficking network and recovered 17 children, including a 9-day-old baby who was miraculously rescued after being substituted with a dead body.
However, the police boss cautioned media practitioners against exposing the identities and faces of SGBV survivors, warning that such breaches violate human rights and cause further psychological trauma. He urged the press to verify facts with the command before publishing.
Speaking earlier on behalf of the delegation, Henry Odeh commended the police command for maintaining a robust partnership with the media, noting that collaborative efforts involving bodies like NAPTIP, the European Union, and International IDEA remain critical to eradicating SGBV in Oyo State.
The Commissioner concluded that the fight against gender-based violence requires a dual approach of public advocacy (the “carrot”) and strict legal prosecution (the “stick”) to deter offenders and protect vulnerable citizens.
