Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
The Bauchi State House of Assembly has adopted a motion calling for the establishment of additional Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) across the state, in a move aimed at improving access to medical, psychosocial and related support services for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
The motion, presented by the Speaker of the Assembly, Abubakar Y. Suleiman, highlighted concerns over the limited availability of specialised referral services for survivors, particularly those living in rural and hard-to-reach communities across Bauchi’s 20 local government areas.
Assembly Raises Concern Over Limited Access
The Assembly’s intervention centres on the geographical concentration of SARC services in the state.
According to reports of the motion, Bauchi currently has one functional Sexual Assault Referral Centre serving the state, with the facility associated with the Specialist Hospital in Bauchi. One report also said the centre was temporarily operating from Tashar Babayo Primary Health Care Centre while renovation work was ongoing at the Specialist Hospital.
The concentration of services in and around the state capital can create additional difficulties for survivors who live far from Bauchi metropolis.
The Speaker identified transportation costs, delays in reaching medical facilities, concerns about confidentiality and the fear of stigma as factors that could discourage survivors from seeking assistance promptly.
For people in remote communities, the distance to specialised services can become more than a logistical problem. It can affect how quickly a survivor receives medical attention, counselling, forensic examination and assistance with reporting a case to law enforcement or pursuing legal remedies.
The Assembly therefore called on the Bauchi State Government to expand the number of referral centres and make them more accessible to people across the state’s three senatorial districts.
What the Proposed Centres Would Provide
Sexual Assault Referral Centres are designed to bring several forms of support together so that survivors do not have to navigate multiple institutions alone.
The services associated with SARCs include medical treatment, counselling, psychosocial support, forensic examination and documentation, as well as referrals to legal and law-enforcement services.
This integrated approach is particularly important in sexual violence cases because medical care and the preservation of evidence can be time-sensitive.
The Bauchi Assembly’s call therefore goes beyond creating additional buildings. The reports surrounding the motion indicate that the lawmakers also want the proposed centres to have appropriate staffing, equipment, medicines, funding and referral mechanisms to make them functional.
The House also called for sustained public sensitisation so that survivors and members of the public know where and how to obtain assistance.
Assembly Calls for Expansion Across Senatorial Districts
The motion called on the state government, through relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, particularly those responsible for Health, Women Affairs, Justice and Humanitarian Affairs, to take steps towards expanding SARC coverage.
Reports differ slightly in describing the precise numerical proposal, but the central position is consistent: the Assembly wants additional fully functional centres strategically distributed across Bauchi’s three senatorial districts rather than relying on a single facility.
Punch reported that the Speaker proposed, as a first phase, at least two fully functional SARCs in each senatorial district. Earlier reports from local broadcasters described the Assembly’s immediate call as at least two additional centres, with the broader objective of ensuring coverage across the three districts.
The distinction is important because the motion represents a legislative call to the executive arm rather than evidence that all the proposed centres have already been established.
The Assembly also called for adequate budgetary provisions and effective implementation by the relevant government institutions.
Lawmakers Link Access to Justice With Survivor Support
During debate on the motion, lawmakers also raised concerns about the wider response to sexual assault.
Lawal Dauda, a member representing Sade Constituency in Darazo Local Government Area, argued that the response to sexual violence must include effective accountability for perpetrators.
He expressed concern about the adequacy of punishment for offenders and said the existing referral infrastructure was insufficient for the scale of the state.
The comments reflect a broader issue in responding to sexual and gender-based violence: medical treatment, psychosocial support, protection, investigation and access to justice are interconnected.
A survivor who receives medical care but cannot easily access police, legal or social-support services may still face significant barriers in seeking justice and recovery.
For that reason, the Assembly’s call for stronger referral and coordination mechanisms is potentially important beyond the physical establishment of new centres.
Advocacy Helped Put SARC Expansion on the Legislative Agenda
The push for more centres has also involved civil society advocacy.
The Azurfa Women and Youth Development Initiative has advocated for expanded access to Sexual Assault Referral Centres across Bauchi State under its ASPIRE Project, with support from Plan International.
The organisation said it visited the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly in September to advocate for additional SARCs across the three senatorial districts and greater public awareness of existing services.
According to information published by the organisation, the advocacy engagement focused on ensuring that survivors could access medical, psychosocial, legal and protection services closer to their communities. It also raised the issue of public awareness, including the use of billboards to inform residents about available SARC services.
The subsequent legislative motion indicates that the issue moved from advocacy discussions into formal consideration by the state legislature.
Bauchi’s Existing Legal and Institutional Framework
The expansion proposal comes against the background of previous efforts to strengthen Bauchi’s legal response to violence and improve access to justice.
The Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Justice Network has documented legislative developments in Bauchi, including amendments to the state’s Administration of Criminal Justice and Violence Against Persons legislation in 2022.
The network said the amended laws were subsequently gazetted in February 2023 and became applicable in the state.
These legal measures provide part of the framework for responding to sexual and gender-based violence, but laws alone do not guarantee that survivors can access services.
Implementation depends on institutions capable of receiving complaints, providing medical treatment, preserving evidence, offering psychosocial assistance, protecting survivors and pursuing cases through the justice system.
That makes the availability and geographical distribution of referral centres an important component of the broader response.
Why Sexual Assault Referral Centres Matter
The importance of SARC expansion lies largely in accessibility.
A survivor in a remote community may face transport costs, limited information about available services, fear of stigma and concerns about confidentiality. Each additional barrier can make it less likely that assistance will be sought quickly.
Bringing specialised services closer to communities can help reduce those barriers.
It can also improve coordination among healthcare providers, police, justice officials and social-service agencies. The aim is to create a system in which a survivor can receive multiple forms of assistance without repeatedly navigating disconnected institutions.
National guidance on establishing and managing SARCs in Nigeria similarly recognises the need for coordinated services for survivors of sexual violence. The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has published a national guide addressing the establishment and management of such centres.
For Bauchi, the challenge now is to translate the Assembly’s call into adequately funded and properly staffed services.
The Wider SGBV Challenge
The demand for additional SARC facilities also reflects the continuing need for stronger responses to sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria.
In April 2026, stakeholders discussing child abuse in the North-East cited reported cases from Bauchi and neighbouring states and highlighted the role of SARCs in providing integrated medical, psychosocial and legal support.
At the national level, Nigeria has expanded its network of Sexual Assault Referral Centres, although coverage remains uneven across states and communities.
The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has previously reported the existence of SARCs across several states, underscoring their growing role in the country’s response to gender-based violence.
The Bauchi Assembly’s latest motion therefore fits into a wider national effort to strengthen survivor-centred services while improving access to justice.
What Happens Next
The next stage will depend on the response of the Bauchi State Executive and the relevant government ministries.
The Assembly called for budgetary provisions, implementation by the responsible agencies and engagement with stakeholders. Its Committees on Health, Women Affairs and Justice were also asked to engage relevant stakeholders and report back to the House within 60 days.
The effectiveness of the initiative will ultimately depend on more than the number of centres announced.
Facilities will need trained personnel, essential medicines and equipment, reliable funding, confidential spaces, forensic capacity and clear referral pathways connecting health services with the police, justice institutions and social welfare agencies.
Public awareness will also be critical. A centre cannot provide meaningful protection to survivors who do not know that it exists or who fear being stigmatised for seeking help.
For Bauchi residents, particularly those in rural and hard-to-reach communities, the central question will therefore be whether the Assembly’s motion leads to accessible, functioning and adequately supported services.
What Readers Should Know
The Bauchi State House of Assembly has called for additional Sexual Assault Referral Centres because lawmakers say the existing coverage is inadequate for a state spread across 20 local government areas.
The motion does not itself establish the proposed centres. It calls on the executive arm of government to take action, provide funding and work through the relevant ministries and agencies.
The proposal also highlights an important principle in the response to sexual violence: access to medical care, psychosocial support and justice should not depend on a survivor’s ability to travel long distances.
If implemented effectively, additional SARCs could help bring essential services closer to survivors and strengthen coordination among healthcare providers, law-enforcement agencies and justice institutions.
For now, the focus shifts to the Bauchi State Government and the relevant ministries to determine how the Assembly’s recommendations will be implemented and funded.
Weng Global – stories beyond borders
Sources
- Punch Newspapers
- Globe FM Bauchi
- BRC Radio Bauchi
- Bauchi State Government
- Azurfa Women and Youth Development Initiative
- Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Justice Network
- National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons
