Killers of woman, children in Anambra must be arrested, say CSOs

The State of Emergency GBV Movement, a coalition of 10 civil society organisations (CSOs), has condemned the killing of a woman and her children in Anambra state.

The incident occurred about a fortnight ago in a community in Orumba north LGA of the state and has elicited criticism from many Nigerians.

The woman, identified as Harira, was said to be a northerner resident in Anambra.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the CSOs said it is tragic that the government has failed to protect its “most vulnerable demography”.

“The State of Emergency GBV Movement is appalled by the continued acts of reckless killings across the country. We are more worried that groups of outlaws operate so freely without any effective security measures to protect the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians and bring the perpetrators of violence to book. How has society degenerated into a state of wanton killing of an unborn baby,  infants and their innocent mother?” the statement reads.

“We have equally observed that these killers have targeted women and children, from Deborah to Harira and her infants. Nigeria is continually failing to protect its most vulnerable demography, which is tragic. No one should feel unsafe to live or walk free in any part of this country, no matter their gender, tribe, belief or social class.

“It is worrisome, the normalisation of these attacks, given their frequency. Where is the outrage? How do we move on after our fellow citizens are murdered, in this case, a pregnant woman and her children? Nigeria is unsafe, north, south, east, and west, and we will continue to witness unbridled criminality and loss of lives engineered by outlaw groups who have elected to plunge the nation into anarchy unless the government takes a break from electioneering and takes decisive action. We call on well-meaning Nigerians to raise their voices in condemnation of the atrocities of these groups.”

The CSOs said unless the culprits are apprehended, they will continue to fuel a “cycle of violence”.

“The SoEGBV Movement demands urgent actions by the security agencies and government officials to apprehend the criminals responsible for the death of Harira and her kids. These deaths further damage our already fragile national faultline, and if nothing is done to arrest and punish the perpetrators will only fuel cycle of violence. The federal government must proactively and commensurately tackle criminal and terrorist groups to halt their activities and keep all Nigerians safe,” the CSOs said.

“We demand that security agencies scale up their responsibilities and become more proactive in their duties. The failure of our security system contributes to the needless loss of lives and properties. Those behind the untimely death of Harira, Fatima, Khadijah, Hadiza, Zaituna and the unborn child must not go unpunished.”

Signatories to the statement are Invictus Africa, TechHerNG, Yiaga Africa, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, Connected Development (CODE), Stand To End Rape Initiative, YouthHubAfrica, Education as a Vaccine, Enough is Enough, and SilverChipFox Consulting Services.