Justice Silas Agya, Chief Judge of Taraba on Monday, designated Court Nine of the state High Court for the trial of family cases in the state.
Agya made the declaration during an advocacy visit by Mrs Agyin Kefas, wife of the governor of Taraba in Jalingo.
He said that the court would have jurisdiction over various family related matters such as divorce, child abuse, neglect and delinquency among others.
According to him, the court would safeguard the best interest of the child in all matters before it.
He noted that 30 per cent of girls and women aged between 15 and 49 were reported to have experienced one form of sexual abuse or the other in Nigeria.
He said that the primary legislation on the subject in Nigeria was the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015, revealing that
Taraba had domesticated the Act.
The chief judge listed some of his achievements to include the establishment of e-proceeding and e-filing, establishment of small claims court and renovation of courts as well as judges’ residence among others.
Earlier, Mrs Kefas requested the judiciary in the state to establish mechanisms that would ensure speedy trial of offenders of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in the state.
She expressed concern over the increased menace of child right abuse and gender based violence in recent times, while expressing readiness to collaborate with the judiciary to stem the tide.
She commended the judiciary for effective dispensation of justice in the state (NAN)
