Taraba CJ Sets Up Family Court To Address Family Disputes, Child Abuse
By Dorcas Ngantem
The Chief Judge of Taraba State, Justice Joel Filibus Agya, has designated High Court 9 as a family Court to handle cases related to domestic and child welfare issues in Taraba State.
The Chief Judge announced this on Monday when the Wife of the Taraba State Governor, Mrs Again Kefas paid an advocacy visit to the state judiciary headquarters in Jalingo.
According to him, the newly designated Court would have jurisdiction over various family-related matters, including, divorce, child abuse, neglect and juvenile delinquency.
He stressed that the Court’s primary objective is to protect the interest of children in all cases brought before it.
He highlighted the alarming statistics on sexual abuse, noting that 30 percent of girls and women aged 15 to 49 in Nigeria have experienced some form of sexual violence.
Justice Agya emphasized that the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2014 which serves as the primary legislation on such matters, has been domesticated in the state to strengthen legal protection for victims.
He also outlined some of his recent judicial reforms, including the introduction of e-proceeding and e-filing, the establishment of a small claim court, and the renovation of court buildings and judges residences.
The Chief Judge used the forum to commend the Governor’s Wife for her impact on the citizens in the area of women empowerment, education, health care and welfare initiatives in the state.
The Taraba First Lady who had earlier urged the judiciary to establish mechanisms for the speedy trial of offenders involved in sexual and gender based violence, expressing concern over the rising cases of child rights violations and gender-based violence in the state and pledged to support and collaborate with the judiciary to tackle the issues.
The Wife of the Governor who specifically advocated for the establishment of a Family Court in the state, maintained that as a mother, she is concerned about the well being of children.
She noted that, achieving meaningful progress in upholding justice for the vulnerable requires the active involvement of key stakeholders such as the judiciary, security agencies, NGOs, communities, traditional rulers as well as religious leaders.
Mrs Agbu Kefas cited a recent in Sardauna Local Government Area of the state where a girl of about eight years old was subjected to a horrific act of rape by a security officer noting that such act is not only traumatizing to the victim but can also ignite unrest within the community.
In a remark, the Chairperson of the National Council for Women Societies, NCWS in Taraba State, Mrs Punarimam Atenji, appreciated the Governor’s wife and the Chief Judge for their relentless efforts to ensure the establishment of the Family Court in the state.
