***To establish family court
To bring about accelerated trials of cases involving human trafficking, gender-based violence and other related matters, the Benue State Government has indicated it will soon establish a Family Court
The Governor of the State, Samuel Ortom stated this recently while interacting with journalists in Abuja.
The governor disclosed that the state Ministry of Justice was already working on the modalities for its take-off.
“The rising cases of trafficking young girls to other parts of the country for prostitution is alarming. The situation is made worse by the high number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) occasioned by sustained attacks by Fulani herdsmen.
“My administration is also worried about how family members would pounce on the wife of a deceased husband and disposes her of all properties immediately the man does.
“This will not be allowed to continue. The establishment of the family court will curtail these excesses,” he said.
He pointed out that Benue State under his watch has passed and domesticated several other laws to address several other challenges.
“Issues of child trafficking will not be taken lightly and anyone who is found to have engaged in it would be prosecuted according to the law,” he added.
Ortom also stated that his administration has taken proactive steps by giving the Mama Abayol Family and Orphanage Home in Makurdi a face-lift, in order to provide maximum comfort to children that were taken from the streets and are kept there.