Enugu Plans Rehabilitation Centre for Minors Under VAPP Law
Pecohub Moved by the rate of juvenile related offences, including cases of violence perpetrated by young persons under the age of 18 years, Enugu State government has concluded plans to set up a rehabilitation centre for minors.
The government also plans to set up Special Courts for Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases in the state.
Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Enugu State, Osinachi Nnajieze, stated that the government was serious in the effective implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, (VAPP) signed in 2019.
Nnajieze, stated that the rehabilitation centre for minors had become necessary to stop further detention of underage persons at the adult Correctional Facilities.
Speaking during a 3-Day Policy Review and Validation Workshop on the state’s VAPP Law, Nnajieze stated that minors currently have no structure reformatory institution for correction and rehabilitation in the state
He stated already efforts are in top gear to restore the Borstal Training Centre in Ngwo, Enugu North Local Government to serve the need.
The Centre, built in 1932, served as a rehabilitation centre for repentant prostitutes and rescued teenagers, was abandoned due the civil war that affected it in 1970.
Nnajieze said that a delegation of the state government had undertaken a tour of the facility to ascertain it’s integrity and recommend it’s redesigning to meet expected goals.
He disclosed that the absence of a rehabilitation Centre for minors remained a low point and a gap in the effort to check gender related violence in the state.
The government he added was appalled at the rate of juvenile offences, including cases of violence perpetrated by young persons under the age of 18 years who eventually end up in the Correctional Facilities, saying the development negated the State’s VAPP Law
The workshop was organised by LifeSpring Development Foundation (LSDF) in collaboration with Enugu State Ministry of Health. It was attended by Stakeholders in the Justice Sector, Civil Society representatives, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other organisations working in the health related issues.
Nnajieze said: “Every society is assessed in the way it responds to offenders of the law. The law must always prevail. That is where Nigeria has been backward. You get a suspect and the right things are not done. We will ensure and uphold the law in Enugu State even if he is a child of nobody”, he stated.
He stated however that in upholding and doing justice, one law must not be broken in order to enforce another, stressing that the government had directed that no minor should be found in adult Correctional Facilities any longer in the state.
“Putting minors in adult correctional facilities is turning juvenile justice on its head. So when I found out that it was happening here, I ensured immediately that the trend was reversed. As I speak to you today, the Governor of Enugu State Dr. Peter Mbah has directed that we go and conduct integrity tests on the building, reassess and redesign it”, he said
While commending LSDF and other partner agencies for putting the workshop together, he assured that the state would do all in its power to ensure justice for all manners of persons at the slightest time frame.
