The Wife of the Governor of Abia State, Mrs Priscilla Otti, has empowered five survivors of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) with cash support and called on the Federal Government to introduce stronger, enforceable mechanisms to permanently eradicate the practice across Nigeria.
Mrs Otti made the call on Friday in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, during an event marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. She described FGM as a gross violation of the fundamental human rights of girls and women, stressing that it has no medical, cultural, or religious justification.
According to her, female genital mutilation exposes victims to severe pain, lifelong trauma, infections, complications during childbirth, and lasting psychological damage.
“Female genital mutilation does not make childbirth safer, nor is it prescribed by any religion. Culture is meant to protect life and dignity. Any practice that harms girls and violates their bodily autonomy is not culture; it is violence,” she said.
The governor’s wife emphasised that Abia State has taken a firm legal position against FGM, noting that the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP Act) has been fully domesticated in the state.
“The law is clear in Abia State. Female Genital Mutilation is a criminal offence under our state law,” Mrs Otti stated.
However, she warned that legislation alone cannot end the practice, calling for stronger implementation, public education, community reporting systems, and strict enforcement.
Mrs Otti further urged traditional rulers, faith-based organisations, civil society groups, and community leaders to lead sustained advocacy efforts and invest in long-term solutions to eliminate FGM.
Speaking at the event, the Abia State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr Maureen Aghukwa, described FGM as a harmful practice that causes deep emotional trauma and, in some cases, death. She was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Affairs, Mrs Chinenye Nwaka, who noted that millions of girls worldwide continue to be subjected to FGM despite national and global interventions.
She reaffirmed the Abia State Government’s commitment to ending female genital mutilation by 2030, in line with global development goals.
In separate remarks, Mrs Onyinyechi Nwosu of the Child Protection Network, Naomi Chinyere of Caritas Nigeria, Barrister Chidimma Alozie of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), and guest lecturer Dr Ngozi Okechukwu unanimously agreed that laws alone are insufficient.
They called for intensified awareness campaigns, grassroots engagement, and sustained funding to permanently eliminate female genital mutilation in Nigeria.
