Accelerate Action: Nigeria’s Femicide Crisis Demands Justice

As International Women’s Day 2025 approaches with the global theme “Accelerate Action,” Nigeria faces a disturbing reality: femicide rates are skyrocketing at an unprecedented pace. January 2025 alone recorded 17 cases of women deliberately killed because of their gender—a shocking 240% increase from the previous year—with five additional cases reported by mid-February.

These statistics aren’t just numbers; they represent daughters, mothers, sisters, and friends whose lives were cut short simply because they were women. The pattern reveals a national crisis demanding immediate attention from policymakers, law enforcement, and society at large.

The Growing Crisis

Recent high-profile cases have brought this issue into sharp focus. In January 2025, Emrich Effanga was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend, while Mutiat Sholola lost her life at the hands of her husband. February saw student Hafsat Lawal murdered in Kwara, raising alarms about women’s safety in educational institutions.

These recent tragedies follow a disturbing pattern of earlier cases that sparked nationwide outrage, including Uwaila Omozuwa, raped and murdered inside a church in 2020; Iniubong Umoren, lured by a fake job offer before being killed in 2021; Bamise Ayanwole, found dead after boarding a public bus in Lagos in 2022; gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, whose 2022 death was linked to domestic violence; and Blessing Karami, discovered dead in Abuja in 2023.

Experts warn that these cases represent only the tip of the iceberg, with countless incidents going unreported due to fear, stigma, and lack of faith in the justice system.

Root Causes and Global Context

The femicide crisis in Nigeria stems from deeply entrenched patriarchal norms that normalize violence against women, inadequate legal protections with weak enforcement mechanisms, and cultural and religious practices that sometimes justify gender-based violence.

This problem isn’t unique to Nigeria. Globally, one in three women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, mostly from intimate partners. Women make up 70% of domestic abuse victims worldwide, and in 2023, approximately 140 women and girls were killed daily by family members or intimate partners—totaling about 51,100 victims annually.

Legal Gaps and Implementation Challenges

Despite existing frameworks like the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2015 and various Administration of Criminal Justice Laws (ACJLs), significant gaps remain in Nigeria’s approach to combating femicide:

• The country lacks specific legislation defining and criminalising femicide
• Witness protection programmes are inadequate, discouraging survivors from testifying
• Corruption and societal biases often undermine law enforcement’s handling of gender-based violence cases
• Implementation of existing laws remains inconsistent across states

The Path Forward

Addressing this crisis requires a multi-faceted approach.

Legal and Policy Reforms

• Establishing gender-specific legislation with stringent penalties
• Creating specialised courts to fast-track gender-based violence cases
• Strengthening witness protection programmes

Law Enforcement Enhancement

• Providing comprehensive training on gender sensitivity for police and judiciary officials
• Establishing immediate response units for domestic violence and femicide cases

Community Engagement

• Mobilising communities to challenge harmful gender norms
• Expanding support services for survivors, including shelters and counseling
• Implementing educational programmes promoting gender equality

Media and Public Awareness

• Using investigative journalism to highlight cases and demand accountability
• Creating platforms for survivors to share their stories safely

A Call to Action

The alarming rise in femicide cases demands nothing short of a declaration of state emergency on gender-based violence in Nigeria. As the country observes International Women’s Day 2025, the question remains: How far are we willing to go to accelerate action and ensure that no woman or girl is killed simply because of her gender?

The time for mere awareness has passed—this is a moment for decisive action at every level of society. Only through collective commitment to legal reforms, cultural shifts, and zero tolerance for violence can Nigeria begin to turn the tide against this deadly epidemic.