MEDIA PRACTITIONERS CHARGE TO SUSTAIN THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST INFORMAL SETTLEMENT OF SEXUAL CASES IN THE STATE. NAPTIP SAYS .
By Adegbayi Ajibade
Media practitioners under the umbrella of the Oyo State ESGBV Media Corps have been charged to sustain the campaign against informal settlement of sexual offence cases in the state.
The charge was given at a follow-up mentorship programme sponsored by the European Union (EU) and International IDEA and held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Ibadan, for members of the Corps at the weekend.
The programme was convened to allow the Corps, established in August 2026, to assess its progress, review field activities, and identify challenges confronting efforts to combat Sexual and Gender-Based violence (SGBV) across Oyo State.
It was during the review session that a participant presented a field report indicating that some sexual offence cases in the state were being resolved outside the courtroom through family and community arrangements without judicial pronouncement.
This revelation became the major focus of discussion, as stakeholders described the practice as dangerous to the quest for survivor-centred justice.
Reacting, the Head of Media and Public Relations of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mr Vincent Adekoye, declared that no institution, organisation or other body has the authority to determine or resolve SGBV cases outside the established judicial process.
Adekoye, who spoke in his opening remark, noted that perpetrators of sexual violence must be subjected to the law.
He warned that settling sexual offence cases through informal mechanisms undermines the pursuit of justice and emboldens perpetrators to continue their acts.
According to him, only a court of competent jurisdiction can make binding decisions on criminal matters, and all allegations of SGBV must be channelled through the formal justice system.
He urged members of the Media Corps to intensify engagement with law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, social workers, community leaders, and protection-focused organisations to ensure that survivors get justice.
Adekoye also charged journalists to remain professionally vigilant, noting that perpetrators are adopting new tactics to commit sexual offences, citing several cases currently being handled by NAPTIP.
He stressed that the evolving nature of SGBV requires accurate, sensitive, and professional reporting that adheres to global best practices, especially in protecting the identity of survivors.
He advised journalists to go beyond routine incident reporting to investigative journalism that exposes systemic failures, gaps in institutional response, and holds duty bearers accountable.
Participants at the session agreed that there was a need for greater public enlightenment on the dangers of out-of-court settlement, which discourages survivors from seeking justice and impedes proper investigation.
The mentorship programme was a follow-up to the intensive two-day capacity-building workshop organised by the EU in collaboration with NAPTIP and International IDEA under the EU Support to End SGBV Programme, which led to the formation of the Oyo State ESGBV Media Corps to promote ethical, evidence-based and survivor-centred reporting.
Present at ceremony were the Oyo commander of NAPTIP, Mr Kayode Alfred, and the state ESGBV Media Corps Mentor, Mr Armfree Ajanaku.
