The prosecution of rapists in Adamawa State has been made easier with the launch of a state-of-the-art forensic facility in Yola, capital of the state.

The facility, named Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) and equipped with forensic technology, will help to prove all cases of sexual and gender-based violence.

Speaking at the launch of the centre, Professor Muhammad Tabiu of the Managing Conflicts in Northeastern Nigeria (MCN), MCN facilitated the establishment of the centre with the aim of providing curative justice for victims of Sexual violence.

“The MCN  programme has established, renovated and equipped the  SARC in Adamawa State with medical and information technology tools to provide psyco-social, medical examination and legal aid to survivors of SGBV (Sexual and Gender Based Violence),” he said.

Adamawa State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Fatima Atiku Abubakar, said the Sexual Assault Referral Centre will serve as “one-stop shop for the survivors of SGBV”.

Abdullahi Yarima Ibrahim, Adamawa State Police Commissioner, said cases of sexual assault and other gender-based violence had lingered in the courts and many times suffered setback due to lack of credible evidence.

Othman Abubakar, spokesman of the command, who delivered the CP’s remarks, and said the facility would help the Police secure conviction for rape cases.

Bala Sanga, Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, said the idea of the centre was initiated by the Ministry of Justice due to the need to amend sections of the penal code. He noted that under the new law, clauses requiring corroborative evidence in rape cases had been repealed.

The partners I the project — European Union, British Council, Managing Conflicts in Nigeria, the Adamawa State government and relevant security agencies — signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the running of the centre.