Abduction: Muslim Women Group to Provide Psychosocial Support to Victims

Minna: The Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN) has announced plans to train some of its qualified members to offer psychosocial support to the 27 abducted victims who were recently rescued in Niger. Hajiya Kulu Abdullahi, the Amirah of FOMWAN in Niger, made this announcement during a one-day sensitization workshop focused on the religious perspective in preventing the double victimization of survivors. According to News Agency of Nigeria, the victims, who were rescued on July 3 by the police, had been abducted in February 2024. Some of the female victims returned with advanced pregnancies and infants believed to have been fathered by their abductors. The training initiative, conducted in partnership with Development Research and Project Centre (dRPC) and supported by Ford Foundation, aims to address the stigma and trauma faced by the survivors by incorporating perspectives from both Islamic and Christian faiths. Abdullahi emphasized the importance of reintegrating the victims into soc iety, acknowledging that traditionally, gender-based violence or kidnap victims often face challenges reintegrating into their families and communities. The training seeks to create a safe space for the survivors, guiding and supporting them through their trauma and stigma, while encouraging rehabilitation with a strong moral and religious foundation. Malam Hassan Aliyu, Director of Partnership and Communication in the dRPC, highlighted the fear of stigmatization that has led some rescued victims to consider returning to their abductors. He stressed the importance of engaging religious leaders and training service providers to understand how religion can be used to tackle stigma and promote the acceptance of survivors. He noted that religious and community leaders in the local government areas where the victims originate from would receive training to enhance the impact of the psychosocial support. Hajiya Mairo Mann, Permanent Secretary of the Niger Ministry of Justice, praised the organizers for their time ly intervention and called for support from the victims' spouses to aid in their reintegration process.