The Ministry of Women Affairs has denied claims that it neglected and abandoned victims of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence under its care.
According to the ministry, the claims made in a viral video are “not only misleading but also undermine the structured, ongoing efforts to protect and empower survivors.”
This was contained in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Maryam Keshinro, on Sunday.
She pointed out that the State Ministries for Women Affairs were, by constitutional mandate, responsible for managing SGBV shelters and survivor support systems, noting that the Federal Ministry had only one temporary shelter in the Federal Capital Territory, which served as a transitional space for immediate support before survivors were reintegrated into appropriate state or community-based systems.
“The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (FMWA) strongly refutes the false claims circulating in a recent video alleging that survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) under the Ministry’s care have been abandoned. These accusations are not only misleading but also undermine the structured, ongoing efforts to protect and empower survivors.
“First, it is crucial to clarify the Ministry’s role in SGBV interventions. By constitutional mandate, state governments are responsible for managing SGBV shelters and survivor support systems through their respective State Ministries of Women Affairs.
“The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs operates only one temporary shelter in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which is designated for urgent, high-risk cases requiring immediate federal intervention. This facility is not a long-term care home but a transitional space where survivors receive immediate support before being reintegrated into appropriate state or community-based systems,” the statement partly read.
Highlighting the efforts made by the ministry to cater for SGBV survivors, the Permanent Secretary noted that the Ministry had conducted a nationwide needs assessment across Kano, Lagos, Nasarawa, and the FCT to identify gaps in survivor services.
She added that the ministry had also taken steps to support survivors and strengthen Nigeria’s SGBV response system, which includes direct Shelter Interventions, follow-up and extended support, and systemic strengthening and policy reforms.
The ministry noted that every case brought to its attention “is treated with urgency and care, and every claim is rigorously verified, while urging Nigerians and the media to seek factual information from the Ministry, adding that its commitment to survivors remained ‘unwavering, evidence-based, and results-driven. ‘”.
“We encourage Nigerians, the media, and all stakeholders to seek factual information directly from the Ministry. The FMWA’s commitment to survivors is unwavering, evidence-based, and results-driven—reflected in its immediate interventions, long-term support systems, and broader systemic reforms.”, the statement added.
