Victims of Violence Foundation (VOV) is a Non-Profit, Non-Governmental, Non-Religious and Non-Partisan humanitarian organization registered in Nigeria in 2014. VOV was conceived out of a desire to bring about change and to create better lives for vulnerable Nigerians, hence it was birthed to provide emergency relief, nutrition, medical/counselling, shelter, education, and skills acquisition support to victims of all forms of violence.
VOV is a membership-based NGO. Our team is made up of a diverse set of professionals and nonprofessionals (both local
and international) who are committed to humanitarian work. Every member of our team has a great sense of passion and
dedication to our core mandates as we work tirelessly to ease the situation of victims of violence.
VISION
To be a pillar of support for all survivors of violence.
MISSION
Achieving sustainable change through localized projects to support survivors of violence.
FOUNDING MEMBERS
VOV is fortunate to have, as its patrons, committed, open hearted and exceptional personalities.
Sulaiman A. Gumi
Abu-Sufyan I. Paris
Chudi Nwokedi
Amina Abbas Nuhu
Chesee Ogunleye
SERVICE TO HUMANITY
As a core value of our charity, the organization is committed to help individuals and communities selflessly and compassionately in need, it also signify our deep dedication to improving the well-being and quality of life for those who are less fortunate or facing various challenges. This core value guides the charity’s actions, decisions, and mission, emphasizing the importance of making a positive impact on humanity as a whole, without expecting personal gain or gratification.
PARTNERSHIP
We recognize that addressing complex social issues requires collaboration and cooperation with like- minded organizations, communities, and stakeholders. By actively seeking and nurturing partnerships, we leverage collective strengths and resources, magnifying our impact and extending our reach to make a more significant and sustainable difference in the lives we aim to improve.
RESPECT
Respect is the cornerstone of our charity’s foundation. We value and honor the dignity, opinions, and diverse backgrounds of all beneficiaries, volunteers, or staff. By fostering an environment of respect, we create a safe and inclusive space where everyone feels values and heard, enabling us to work together effectively and compassionately toward our shared goals of positive change and community support.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Accountability is the bedrock of our charity’s ethos. We are committed to transparency, responsible stewardship of resources, and delivering on our promises to our donors, beneficiaries, and the community. We hold ourselves accountable for our actions and decisions, continually striving to improve and ensure that our impact is both measurable and meaningful. Through accountability, we maintain the trust and confidence of all those who support our mission to create a better world.
TEAMWORK
We are dedicated to being true, authentic, and living our values, the pillars on which all our relationships are built, and teamwork is at the heart of our charity’s mission. We believe that by working together collaboratively and leveraging the unique skills and perspectives of our team members, we can create a greater impact on the causes we care about. Teamwork is not just a value but a driving force that empowers us to fulfil our mission and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.
CORE MEMBERS PROFILE
Chairperson
Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi, is an alumnus of the prestigious University of Maiduguri and Nasarawa State University where he bagged double honors Degree (B.Eng.) in Civil and Water Resources Engineering and M.Sc. in Security and Strategic Studies respectively. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Security and Strategic Studies at the same Nasarawa State University. His contribution to engineering development in the country has earned him the rank of Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE). Before his sojourn into partisan politics, Hon Gumi briefly worked with Nigeria’s electoral agency, INEC, where he rose through the ranks to attain the position of Engineer I before he voluntarily resigned in 2016.
He founded the Victims of Violence Charity Foundation (VoV). VoV is a non-profit organization aimed at providing support to victims of all forms of violence across Nigeria. He is a recipient of various awards such as: Honorary Doctorate Degree on Leadership and Community Development by IHERIS University, Togo, Mike Omotosho Foundation Award for Leadership and Human Development, PAN African Humanitarian Award among others. Hon. Gumi is a seasoned technocrat, an undaunted progressive, goal-getter and lover of peace. His passion for advancing the well-being of humanity transcends skin color, religion and other parochial prejudices. His ample dose of integrity, humility and honesty, kindness, compassion, selflessness and other impeccable attributes naturally endear him to his people and anyone who comes in contact with him.
Chief executive officer
Dr. Aisha Liman is a Public Health Physician passionate about teaching and creating enabling environments for preventive medicine. She has worked in a number of contexts, building experience in health systems strengthening, emergency programming and cross cutting issues like gender, diversity and inclusion. She has a Masters in Global Health from John Hopkins School of Public Health and presently works as Senior Health Programme Advisor and Clinical associate for international non-governmental organizations.
Aisha served on the board of African Public Health Network as General Secretary and as Co-Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Community Affairs, Johns Hopkins Student Assembly. She is an awardee of the Delta-Omega Honorary Society of Public Health, Washington, 2021. Aisha has worked with NGOs in Nigeria, Syria, Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Ukraine, Liberia among others, alongside the host country’s Ministry of Public Health. She targets to contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria and beyond, with particular attention to Health, Education and Gender.
Country Strategy Advisor
Abu Sufyan Inuwa Paris is a founding member of VoV and he holds a Master of Science in Education degree from the National Open University. He is experienced in conducting integrated community assessments, fostering partnerships for development and leading coordination committees for strategy and response. His strategic approach to the Almajiri Model Educational System in Adamawa State has been instrumental in providing opportunities and promoting literacy among marginalized communities. Through his expertise, he has successfully trained youths in various courses related to livestock production, fostering practical skills, and empowering them for career opportunities.
In his role with VoV, he secures access permissions for deployment of outreach teams, provision of logistics for day to day running of activities as well as coordinating linkages to remote locations. His immense desire to see results has continuously been a backbone in all VoV engagements, ensuring that security clearances are thorough. Additionally, Abu Sufyan is skilled in negotiations and advocacy. Over the years, he has enabled community engagements through community leaders, Youth and Women’s social groups, National and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA and NEMA) to foster partnerships and implement projects. He is currently the Principal of Sheikh Abubakar Gummi Academy. Outside of his professional endeavors, Abu Sufyan enjoys traveling, reading, football, and swimming.
Country Director
Amina Abba Zoru, has held the esteemed position of Country Director at the Victims of Violence Foundation (VoV) since August 2019. In this role, she wields her expertise to oversee and coordinate the activities of seven state chapters across the country, assuring that their efforts harmonize seamlessly with VoV’s overarching mission and objectives. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social studies from Nigeria’s National Teachers Institute (NTI). Amina’s dedication to continued growth is evidenced by her attainment of multiple certificates. Among these, is UNICEF certificate in Gender Responsive Monitoring and Evaluation, underscoring her commitment to fostering inclusivity and equity. Further enriching her accolades is a certificate in the Peace Empowerment program, a testament to her global engagement with the Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) Foundation, headquartered in South Korea. As a prominent panelist at the US embassy’s Women History Month event in 2016, she presented a thought-provoking paper titled “Women as Victims of Terrorism”. She also engaged in a Leadership Bootcamp for young girls organized by the Maricuatty Foundation in 2019. She is fluent in English, Hausa, Kanuri, and possessing a working proficiency in German, she bridges linguistic divides to amplify her impact.
Manager, Human Resources and Administration
Amina Nuhu Abbas is a dedicated and accomplished leader known for her commitment to humanitarian service and fostering positive change. With a strong background in Political Science and a diverse range of experiences, she excels in her roles as CEO of Mukhlah Ltd and a founding member of VOV (Victims of Violence Foundation). Possessing a B.Sc in Political Science from University of Maiduguri, Amina has developed a profound understanding of complex societal dynamics, governance structures, and human interactions.
Her academic foundation forms the bedrock of her leadership approach, service delivery philosophy, and community engagement initiatives. Her commitment to personal and professional growth was recognized at the International Women’s Conference on Practical Strategies for the Successful Female Leader, organized by Reenel Associates in Accra, Ghana. Leveraging her prowess in project management, Amina Nuhu consistently achieves results by meticulously planning, coordinating, and executing projects of varying complexities. She is an avid traveler, whenever she is not working, she enjoys gardening activities.
Manager, Compliance and Accountability
Adebayo E. Iyanda, LL. B, B.L, LL.M is a Legal Professional with more than a decade experience (Criminal, Civil & International Law) in providing legal advice and expertise on a range of issues related to Human Rights, Humanitarian Law, Anti-Money Laundering, Illicit Financial Flows, Corruption, Economic Governance, including Women and Youth matters. He obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree in International Commercial Law from the University of Dundee, United Kingdom and is legally qualified to practice law as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He is currently a legal researcher undergoing a Doctorate in Law, Transnational Criminal Justice at the University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa. He is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS); a certified Manager with the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), and a Professional Negotiator and Mediator (PNM) with Deeplaw Associates.
Adebayo is a dedicated legal professional with a strong passion for social change and human rights advocacy. He has a proven track record in leading impactful initiatives within the non-profit sector. He is skilled at translating his legal knowledge into practical strategies to advance social causes and promote equality. With Victims of Violence Foundation, he has played a pivotal role in combating sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls, working closely with Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), the Ministry of Health, and international partners to drive change. His expertise in legal matters was pivotal in advising VoV on compliance, taxation, partnerships, and funding strategies, ensuring its continued success.
Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation
Khadijat Baba-Muhammad holds a B.Sc. in Business Administration and an M.Sc. in Investments from University of Birmingham. She is a member of the Society for Monitoring and Evaluation, Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management, Nigeria. She is an advocate of Transparency, Good Governance, Gender Mainstreaming, Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Orphans, and Vulnerable Persons. She is also an executive member of the Victims of Violence Charity Foundation, Al-Ummah Orphans Foundation while supporting the Foundation for Refugee Economic Empowerment and Arewa Development Support Initiative.
She is currently the Director leading the Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) department of the UK-Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF) Program, funded by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office of the UK government. She has over 20 years’ work experience, 15 of which are in Management capacity. Her experience spans development, monitoring and evaluation, gender and social inclusion, privatization, project and human resource management. As a senior Monitoring Evaluation and Learning expert, she has helped design and implement MEL frameworks for 4 FCDO (Formerly DFID) funded programs and 3 World Bank funded programs. She oversees VoV’s M and E framework and builds the capacity of staff in innovative approaches to M and E for decision making.
Manager, Community Engagement and Advocacy
Jamila Muhammad’s distinguished career as a Legal Advisor is marked by her multifaceted expertise and unwavering commitment to capacity building and humanitarian work. She acquired her LL. B from the University of Abuja and a BL from the Nigerian Law School. Jamila’s proactive approach shines through her leadership role in the VOV Young Marshalls Club, where she has nurtured youth development and community engagement. Her active participation in the VOV fact-finding mission to Niger Republic underscores her dedication to understanding and addressing pressing societal issues.
Additionally, her involvement in VoV Health Outreach programs reflects her deep empathy for underserved communities and a passion for healthcare accessibility. Her outstanding achievements, exemplified by the prestigious US Embassy Honour Awards, highlight her pioneering efforts in cybersecurity education and cross-cultural collaboration for the enforcement of intellectual property rights and cybercrime prevention. Jamila loves literature, watching TV shows, and swimming.
Manager, Finance
Ramatu Bello has a MSc in Information Technology from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). She is also trained as a Neuro Linguistics Programming Practitioner (NLPP). She is a highly accomplished professional with a strong dedication to humanitarian causes. She currently holds the role of Deputy Director at the Federal Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning. Additionally, she serves as the Sub-National Adviser for Open Government Partnership Nigeria (OGP).
Her expertise lies in Information Technology, Data, Mentoring, Counseling, and various humanitarian initiatives, especially those involving orphans and widows. Beyond her professional commitments, she is dedicated to her personal project assisting orphans, focusing on education and clothing. Outside of work, Ramatu is deeply passionate about humanitarian services, reading motivational literature, traveling, socializing, team building, and connecting with nature. She extends her support through mentoring and counseling individuals dealing with grief, trauma, and premarital concerns.
Head of Operations
Gerald Momodu holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. Gerald’s dedication to making a positive impact on society is evident through his involvement in various initiatives. He holds the position of Managing Director and CEO at Five Citizens Limited. Gerald’s experience spans across conducting market surveys, feasibility studies and evaluating contextual conditions to ensure best use of resources. He capitalizes on his robust professional network to evaluate operational risks and lead quality assurance. Gerald has supported the budgetary oversight for program implementation from a host of in-kind and financial donations to ensure timely spending within considerable flexibilities. Beyond his professional and philanthropic pursuits, he finds joy in traveling, which not only allows him to explore new places but also provides opportunities to connect with diverse cultures and individuals. Additionally, his love for music showcases his appreciation for the arts and the power of creativity.