GENDER BASED VIOLENCE (2024): AT LEAST 133 WOMEN, GIRLS KILLED IN NIGERIA

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At least 133 Nigerian women, inclusive of teenagers, lost their lives to suspected gender-related violence between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, according to the 2024 DOHS Cares Foundation femicide reports.

The report was foundation’s tracker dashboard, which provided the data. The foundation is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to combating gender-based violence and monitoring cases of femicide.

DOHS founder, Ololade Ajayi, said that the alarming number of incidents was based on verified reports of gender-related violence published by various media outlets, during the period under review.

The reports indicate that 12 women were killed between January and March 2024. Among the victims was a three-year-old girl named Asiya, who was initially reported missing but was later found dead in Bauchi State with some of her body parts allegedly removed.

According to the data, at least, nine women lost their lives to gender-related violence in April. One of the cases highlighted in the report involved Aminat, a 100-year-old woman, who was killed by her 67-year-old son, Lukman Adejoju, during a dispute over the proceeds from palm oil sales.

A similarly alarming trend was reported in May and June, with at least 23 women losing their lives under comparable circumstances. Among the victims was a 69-year-old widow, Ifeoma Ajuluchukwu, who was brutally beaten until she fell unconscious while ill at home.

In July, at least 16 incidents were reported. Among them was Ifeoma Eze Esther, a 100-level student at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, who was pushed to her death from a third-floor window at the Padelia Hotel by unidentified men.

According to the report for August 2024, eight women, including a newborn baby, lost their lives. Among the victims was nine-year-old Runaisa Sadiq, who was raped and killed by a pharmacy owner in Kano after her father brought her to him for malaria treatment.

Also in August, a 300 level student of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Idowu Christianah was allegedly murdered by her friend who kidnapped her after he initially demanded for N3 million ransom from her family.

Officers of the Kwara State police command arrested seven suspects involved in the alleged murder of a graduate of the Kwara State College of Health Technology, Mojisola Awesu, also in August.

In September, seven women were reportedly killed, including Oriyomi Gboyega, a 13-year-old girl, whose body was found with her wrists severed in the possession of an Islamic cleric.

In October, at least 20 incidents were reported, including the death of 24-year-old Priscilla Ocheme on October 21, 2024, who was found dead after visiting her male friend, Ekosuehi Elvis, also known as Richard.

The data further showed that while police commands where the incidents occurred have apprehended some of the suspects, the majority of those responsible for these heinous crimes remained at large.

Ajayi explained that the “unverified reports exceed the 133 verified incidents we currently have, and we are in the process of extensive verification, which may cause the current figure to increase by tomorrow (Thursday).”

She also called for the enactment of a law to prohibit, prevent, punish, and eradicate all forms of violence against women.