By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called for stronger multi sectoral action to protect women, girls, and other vulnerable citizens.

Represented by the Wife of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hajiya Fatima Tajudeen Abass, on Wednesday in Abuja, she said the 2025 dialogue and launch of the VAPP Implementation Report must drive collective efforts that match the scale of the crisis facing communities across the country.

She said violent crime, including domestic abuse, sexual assault and technology-driven harassment, continues to threaten lives and undermine national progress, stressing that only coordinated action across government, civil society, security agencies and communities can deliver real change.

“We must challenge harmful cultural norms and attitudes that perpetuate abuse,” she said.

The First Lady noted that insights from the new VAPP report should guide stronger policy implementation, improved survivor support, and wider public engagement.

She said, “Institutional and community engagement must also continue to address cultural and social barriers that discourage victims from seeking justice or protection.”

Similarly, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, represented by Yewande Awopetu, said the complexity of trafficking and gender-based violence demands a united national response.

He said, “No single agency, ministry or organization can successfully combat these complex, transnational and deeply rooted crimes alone.”

Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Lami Adamu Bello, in her opening remarks, said the country must urgently deepen its coordinated response to violent crimes.

She warned that the rising tide of gender-based violence, digital abuse and community-level attacks requires stronger systems.

She said, “No single institution; no matter how strong; can eliminate these threats alone, What we need is a national ecosystem of response, where each institution plays its role with clarity, resources, and accountability, and where their efforts reinforce one another instead of functioning in isolation”.

Director of the Violence Against Persons Department, Rebecca Enwusoyele, said the campaign is a national call to action.

“Violence does not occur in one sector therefore one sector cannot solve it alone,” she said, urging stronger collaboration to confront underreporting, stigma and weak justice systems.