By CHINYERE Nnaemeka

The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ has called for the amendment of the Violence Against Persons (VAPP) Law to have more stringent measures in tackling the increasing incidence of crimes in the society.

They decried the rate of domestic violence in the country and called for actions to be taken towards curtailing such from reoccurring.

This was disclosed in a communique drafted by Imo State NAWOJ Chairperson, Dr. Dorothy Nnaji, Anambra State NAWOJ Chairperson: Comrade Tochukwu Ifejika, Enugu State NAWOJ Secretary: Comrade Ogochukwu Chukwudike, and signed by South East, Zone C Zonal Secretary, Doris Chioma Alex, at the end of the meeting held in Umuahia, Abia State, on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.

The part of the communique reads:

“After reviewing various activities, programs, and challenges of the states within Zone C, the ZEC resolved as follows:

“ZEC applauded Abia State’s First Lady, Mrs. Chioma Otti, for hosting the NAWOJ South East Zonal Executive Council meeting in Umuahia.

“ZEC commended the South East Governors for their visible leadership qualities and the blueprint of their administration, which has greatly impacted the South Eastern region.

“ZEC expressed satisfaction with the security measures implemented during the Christmas season and urged the Zone C Governors to further strengthen security in their states, particularly addressing the rise in ritual killings within the zone.

“ZEC commended the wives of the five South East Governors for their proactive measures and swift responses to gender-based violence in their respective states. The ZEC called for future collaboration between the association and the first ladies to further address these issues.

“ZEC demanded that the Violence Against Persons (VAPP) Law be amended to include more stringent measures in tackling the increasing incidence of crimes and to expunge the option of fines for perpetrators.

“ZEC lamented the growing incidents of domestic violence, particularly the increase in cases of spouse battery and killings within the South East. The ZEC called for a louder and unified voice to bring an end to this disturbing trend.

“ZEC advocated for the training and retraining of journalists to ensure they stay abreast of new innovations, skills, and best practices while performing their duties.

“ZEC called on the Nigeria Police and the Judiciary, especially in the South East, to rise to their responsibility and ensure that the law is upheld and justice is served at all times.

“The Zonal Vice Chairperson commended Chairpersons in the zone for their dedication and commitment to the association and their outstanding contributions to NAWOJ”.

The Zonal Executive Council Meeting was hosted by the Abia State Chapter of NAWOJ and took place at Harriet Suites, with the theme: “Aligning Together for the Purpose of Zone C NAWOJ.”

The meeting which was presided over by the Zonal Vice Chairperson, South East, Comrade Amaka Agbo, was said to be the first of its kind.