In a communiqué released on Thursday, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, Kayode Fayemi, said the decision was reached at a meeting held on Wednesday.

Fayemi said the governors also renewed commitment to ensuring that offenders face the full weight of the law.

He said the governors agreed to, “Declare a State of Emergency on Sexual and Gender-based Violence. Governors strongly condemned all forms of violence against women and children and committed to ensuring that offenders face the maximum weight of the law.”

“Call on State Governors that have not already domesticated relevant gender-based protection laws to domesticate the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, the Child Rights Act and the updated Penal Code to increase protection for women and children and ensure speedy investigation and prosecution of perpetrators in addition to creating a sex offenders register in each State to name and shame.”

The decision is coming on the heels of rising cases of rape and gender based violence across states in the country.