TWO FEMICIDE CASES IN LESS THAN ONE MONTH IN SAPELE, DELTA STATE: A CRISIS WE CAN NO LONGER IGNORE

DOHS CARES FOUNDATION condemns in the strongest possible terms the brutal and senseless killings of two women in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, in separate incidents occurring within less than one month of each other.

 

On July 28, 2026, Nora Abombay was allegedly killed by her husband Emma Abombay following a domestic dispute after returning from a visit. Her eldest child, barely eight years old, reportedly witnessed the violence that took his mother’s life. The suspect remains at large.

 

On August 26, 2026, barely four weeks later, Blessing Oghwoghwo, a mother of two young boys aged 5 and 3, was reportedly beaten and strangled to death by her husband, identified only as Favour. He fled the scene immediately, leaving behind their terrified children.

 

These are not isolated incidents. They are the visible tip of a deadly national epidemic; femicide, the most extreme form of gender-based violence, and it is happening, with frightening frequency and near-total impunity.

 

What makes these cases even more devastating is the shared pattern: both victims were killed in their own homes, by their intimate partners, in the presence of their own children. In both cases, the perpetrators fled, and weeks later, justice remains out of reach. These women were wives, mothers, daughters and community members and they were killed simply for existing, for making independent choices, for saying no.

 

We ask: How many more women must die before this is treated as a national emergency? When will the lives of women and girls be valued as equal to those of men? When will perpetrators know that there is no escape, no cover, and no tolerance for killing women?

 

 

 

OUR DEMANDS

 

1. Immediate action by Delta State Police Command: We call on the Delta State Police to urgently apprehend and prosecute both suspects — Emma Abombay and the man identified as Favour — and to update the public on investigations without delay. No family should grieve in silence while killers walk free.

2. Legislative action to end femicide: These deaths reinforce the urgent need for dedicated legislation that explicitly defines femicide as a distinct crime, imposes severe penalties, and establishes clear protocols for prevention, response and accountability. 

3. Support for surviving children and families: The children who witnessed these murders are victims too. They need urgent trauma support, counselling, safe housing and long-term care. We call on government agencies and civil society to step in and ensure no child is left behind.

4. Public awareness and accountability: We call on communities, religious leaders, workplaces and families to speak up. Silence enables violence. We must stop blaming victims and start holding perpetrators and systems accountable.

 

 

 

CALL TO ACTION; RACE AGAINST FEMICIDE WITH US

 

This is exactly why DOHS CARES FOUNDATION is Implementing the 3rd edition of Race Against Femicide ;  ( https://www.dohscares.org/femicide-observatory ) a nationwide campaign to raise awareness, demand justice, and push for laws that protect women and girls. 

We cannot build a Nigeria where women live in fear. We will not be silent, and we will not stand by while our sisters are killed.

 

We also call on all stakeholders — government, corporate bodies, civil society and individuals to join us, support our work, and partner with us to build the systems and structures that will end this crisis.