THE STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN NIGERIA 2005 - UNDP Nigeria ...

When the victim was interviewed, she said that she did not report the matter to the police for fear ofanother attack by the political thugs. Fatima’s father, Alhaji Bukar Mustafa, said that they had not visitedany hospital or clinic to confirm the extent of the injury on Fatima’s private part and had not tested herfor HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases.Rita Emenaha got married to Everatus Emenaha on the insistence of her family who wanted her tomarry an Ibo man. Having agreed to marry, she sold her business and used the proceeds to buyand develop a plot of land at Tugun Maje, Abuja. She also, occasionally, gave financialassistance to her proposed husband up to the sum of N500,000.During her marriage, her husband who also frequently made death threats to her often physicallyabused Rita. On a number of occasions, she reported the threats and abuse to the police at Zuba andto her family.In April 2004, Everatus instituted a divorce petition against Rita at the Upper Area Court Gwagwalada,before Hon. Mohammed Usman Akoyi. According to Rita, on two occasions, her husband’s counsel inconcert with the court clerk and judge, without her knowledge or her counsel’s changed the hearingdates. Judgment was given in her absence on 15 th August 2004. Pursuant to the judgment, she wasgiven a court order to vacate the house she built, and ordered to pay N4,000.00 cost and to refundN17,000.00 as dowry paid by her husband on her.She refused to vacate her house but paid the monies as ordered, directly to the Judge who howeverrefused to issue her with a receipt. Within the same week, her house was invaded by court officialswho broke the doors to gain access, removed her property and took them to the court.28 year old Florence Ezechukwu, a graduate of Institute of Management and Technology, EnuguEnugu State, got married to Policarp Ezechukwu in 1992. They live at No. 9 Dan Musa RoadOriapata, Kaduna State and have two children, a boy of 6 years and a girl of 3.Her husband who often accused her of having extra­marital relationships frequently battered her. Aftersuch battering, he would lock her up in a room for up to 3 days or more to prevent her having access toanyone. He would also starve her of food. He tore her National Youth Service discharge certificate toprevent her from attending a job interview. On account of one of such beatings, she lost her six­monthpregnancy in May of 2005.RECOMMENDATIONS(I)(II)(III)There is a need for sensitisation campaign to create awareness on gender related issues inorder to protect women from acts of discrimination arising from cultural practices, beliefsand patriarchy.There should be capacity building/training of judicial officers on gender related matters inthe discharge of their duties with a view to promoting respect for the rights of both men andwomen.Laws, policies and practices that discriminate against women should be reviewed. Inaddition, laws prohibiting and punishing the practice of wife battering and violence againstwomen should be enacted.49