‘Women, girls are in grave danger’ — foundation asks FG to declare state of emergency on femicide

Aderonke Bello, founder of FAME Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that advocates for the girl child and women’s rights, says Nigeria must declare a state of emergency on femicide.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Bello said femicide has become a pandemic, noting that young girls and women in the country are in grave danger.

Bello said femicide, the intentional killing of females, stems from deep-rooted beliefs that men should control women.

“The girlchild, young women, and young female adults are endangered in Nigeria. Femicide has become a pandemic, and a state of emergency needs to be declared on this often-overlooked issue. Victim blaming must end,” she said.

“Globally, femicide is seen as a violation of human rights, with the United Nations reporting that more than 89,000 women and girls were killed in 2022 and 2023.

“A 2022 report alone reported that at least 401 women died from sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Nigeria.

“In Nigeria, femicide is often concealed due to societal stigma, fear of retaliation, or shame experienced by the victims’ families.

“Many cases go unreported, leaving families devastated and perpetuating a culture of silence.

“The situation is now critical; the federal government says Nigeria records 27,698 SGBV cases in the last three years.”

Bello said the imbalance of power between men and women is the cause of the violence, with the male folks feeling they have the right to control their female counterparts, even to the point of taking their lives.

Bello said the foundation has reported a series of recent femicide cases that highlighted the growing trend of gender-based violence in Nigeria.

“Paul Jeremiah, a 20-year-old undergraduate, was arrested by the Kogi State Police Command for kidnapping and murdering Damilola, a 19-year-old first-year student at the Federal University of Lafia,” she said.

“After demanding a ransom of N10 million, Jeremiah and his accomplices accepted N400,000 but decided to kill and mutilate her when dissatisfied with the sum.”

Bello said the foundation is calling on the government, civil society organisations, parents, religious bodies, and traditional leaders to unite in the fight against femicide.

“Silence is not an option while women and girls are brutally murdered. The government must strengthen laws addressing femicide and ensure they are properly enforced,” she said.

“Media organisations must raise awareness and challenge the harmful social norms that perpetuate this violence, while communities need to remain vigilant, support victims, and hold perpetrators accountable.”

Bello, also a journalist, said men, in particular, should become allies in promoting gender equality and preventing gender-based violence.