The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has expressed concern over gender-based attacks on Betta Edu, the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development of Nigeria; Sadiya Umar Farouk, the former Minister; and Halima Shehu, the suspended National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Gender Technical Officer, CITAD, Zainab Aminu, on Thursday in Kano State.
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The center said the corruption allegation sparked off discussions that attacked their personalities on various social media platforms and took a direction with comments that were stereotypical, harassing, insulting, and offensive to the women in question.
According to the statement, the center had documented and analyzed conversations and discussions with the three women and found that most of the comments were not issue-based but rather directed gender-based attacks on the women simply because of their gender.
The statement said, “While we are not condemning commentary on the corruption scandal involving the trio, we are, however, urging that the discussions not warrant attacks on their gender. Some of the gender-based harmful comments we extracted are ‘What a man can steal, a woman can thief Beta’; ‘The hijab bandits’ new series on efcllix; and ‘Meet Sadiya Umar Farouk. The first woman who fed millions of children through WIFI’; ‘Behind the hijab is the devil’—from X.”
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“CITAD condemns the disturbing gender-specific comments and stereotypes regarding the scandal, while stressing that corruption is not gender-specific and calling for a collective, unbiased approach to fighting corruption. The organization advocates for a respectful and fair discourse, urging a focus on facts rather than harmful stereotypes.”
“Noting the disparity in gender-specific comments compared to past scandals involving male counterparts, CITAD is emphasizing the importance of treating individuals equally within the public discussion space. We would like to remind the public that the fight against corruption needs a collective approach free from gender biases.”
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“CITAD hereby calls for a nuanced and balanced discussion, free from harmful stereotypes, and urges stakeholders to exercise caution in making statements that perpetuate such stereotypes, while emphasizing the importance of promoting an issue-based commentary.”
ClockwiseReports recalled that on January 8, 2024, Betta Edu and Sadiya Umar Farouk were invited by the EFCC over an alleged fraud, while earlier in the month, Halima Shehu was also detained and interrogated by the EFCC.