FEMICIDE IN NIGERIA: AN URGENT CALL FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION

Femicide in Nigeria, State by State Statistics by DOHS Femicide Observatory. 

By H.T Jagiri. 

Across Nigeria, women and girls continue to be killed simply because they are women. These killings often occur in the context of intimate partner violence, family violence, sexual violence, harmful gender norms, and misogyny. Yet many of these cases are routinely reported as "domestic disputes," "relationship issues," or isolated incidents, obscuring the systemic nature of the violence.

 In 2024, We documented Over 150 women and girls killed in gender-related violence in Nigeria in 2024 and by 2025 December, we had tracked and documented over 350 cases of femicide in Nigeria, amounting to A Woman killed approximately every 49 hours. 

This year, we have already recorded over 40 cases of  gender related killings of Women and Girls.

These figures represent mothers, daughters, sisters, students, professionals, and breadwinners whose lives were violently cut short.

Yet despite the growing toll, these killings are still frequently described as "domestic disputes," "relationship misunderstandings," or "crimes of passion."

We believe Nigeria must begin calling these killings what they are: FEMICIDE!

Naming the problem correctly is the first step toward addressing it effectively.

We are embarking on an advocacy campaign to raise public awareness on The prevalence and patterns of femicide in Nigeria, Gaps in government response and accountability and the urgent need for a Femicide Prevention and Accountability Law.

We will also be spotlighting media organizations as partners in accountability, to adopt the term "femicide" when reporting gender-related killings of women and girls as well as Law enforcement officials to implement Femicide Response Units within Law enforcement and relevant Government Agencies.

Most importantly, we are calling on members of the National Assembly to examine femicide data from their respective states through our femicide observatory https://www.dohscares.org/femicide-observatory and convene public hearings on femicide in Nigeria within the next 30 days, on or before July 1, 2026.

THE DATA LEGISLATORS CANNOT IGNORE;

With data from the our Femicide Observatory indicating that Lagos, Delta, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ogun, Kano, Ondo, Oyo, Rivers, Edo, and Abia States are currently among the states recording some of the highest incidences of femicide in Nigeria, we believe that Senators and Honorable Members representing these states have both a moral and constitutional responsibility to respond to this growing crisis.

During a plenary session in March 2026, the President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, urged Nigerians to hold their elected representatives accountable, emphasizing that the National Assembly is a "workshop of solutions" for addressing the nation's challenges. We echo this position and call on lawmakers at both the national and state levels to demonstrate that commitment by taking decisive action to address the growing femicide crisis in Nigeria. As incidents of femicide continue to rise, there is an urgent need for legislative leadership, public accountability, and concrete policy measures to protect women and girls and prevent further loss of lives.

We therefore call on the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and other distinguished Lawmakers from these states, including the Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, Senator Oluranti Adebule, Senator Wasiu Eshinlokun Sanni (Lagos); Senator Ede Dafinone, Senator Ned Nwoko, Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas (Delta); Senator Ireti Kingibe and Senator Philip Aduda (FCT); Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, Senator Gbenga Daniel, Senator Salisu Shuaib Afolabi (Ogun), as well as Honourable Members of the House of Representatives; The Speaker, Rt. Hon Tajudeen Abbas, The Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon Benjamin Okezie Kalu, The Honourables representing Kano, Ondo, Oyo, Rivers, Edo, Abia and other States, including Hon Muhammad Bello Sheu, (Kano State), Hon Zainab Gimba, (Borno State), Hon. Erhiatake Ibori Suenu, (Ethiope East,Delta State), Hon. Mariam Onuoha (Imo State), Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, Hon. James Faleke (Lagos State), Hon. Awaji-Inombek D.h Abiante, Hon. Boma Goodhead, (Rivers State), Hon. Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe State),  Hon. Chime Clara Nnabuife (Anambra State), Hon. Manu Soro Mansur, (Bauchi State) Hon. Blessing Onuh (Benue State), Hon. Beni Lar (Plateau State) and Hon. Ogah Amobi Godwin (Abia State) to immediately Champion the Public Hearings. 

These hearings should provide an opportunity for victims' families, survivors, civil society organizations, researchers, law enforcement agencies, traditional leaders, faith leaders, and other stakeholders to contribute to the development of effective legislative and policy responses.

The continued killing of women cannot remain a private tragedy discussed only after another headline emerges. Femicide is a public policy issue requiring public solutions.

Femicide Trends and Patterns by DOHS Femicide  Observatory. 

 We need prevention systems, accountability mechanisms, dedicated response structures, and legislation that recognizes the unique nature of Femicide and prevent Women and Girls against this crime.