In this piece, ENE OSHABA reports that the prolonged security crisis in Nigeria has prompted over 500 women-led organisations to call on the National Assembly to reconvene and address the crisis with urgency.
The rising rate of crime and other security challenges has been a cause for concern for Nigerians, especially women, who are largely believed to be at the receiving end of the consequences of the situation.
Displeased over the seeming lack of commitment by the National Assembly, especially the continuation of its recess in the face of rising security challenges, over 500 women groups, under the auspices of WOMANIFESTO, have demanded the immediate resumption of National Assembly members to tackle insecurity.
The group, consisting activists, advocates and practitioners, also strongly condemned the recent wave of insecurities and kidnappings in Nigeria.
In a press statement made available to the media, the group noted that “As enshrined in Section 14(2b) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the welfare and security of the citizens shall be the primary purpose of the government.
“The Constitution also guarantees the right to life, liberty, and personal security of every Nigerian citizen.
The statement noted further that “the safety and security of Nigerian citizens, especially women and children, which should be the top priority of the government, has been rigorously threatened for years and has now come to a climax where citizens are being kidnapped from their homes in broad daylight.
“Nigerians have felt the brunt of this crisis and have had to crowdfund ransoms payable to criminals. Despite this, victims of kidnappings are still being murdered by criminals, leaving the nation in a dire state of distress.
Security reports
Reports from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) revealed that over 380 people were kidnapped in Nigeria between December 1, 2023 and January 3, 2024. The number of reported kidnapped people in Nigeria between June 2022 and July 2023 increased to 3,620, an analysis of data from SBM Intelligence, also revealed.
Additionally, government statistics for Abuja showed 40 kidnapping cases involving 236 victims between January 2021 and June 2023; while the report insinuated that the exact number of people kidnapped in Nigeria in 2024 may be higher.
Women inclusion in security agenda
The United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), brought the inclusion of women in the security agenda into the international limelight.
Although these global frameworks, and other international resolutions, underscore the importance of women’s participation in the politics, the resolution urges the all actors to increase the participation of women and incorporate gender perspectives in all UN peace and security efforts.
It also calls on all parties to conflict to take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse, in situations of armed conflict.
The resolution provides a number of important operational mandates, with implications for Member States and the entities of the UN system.
Women arise
It is as a result of these crisis, that Womanifesto found it unimaginable that the National Assembly extended its holiday after a three-week Christmas and New Year recess.
According to the statement, “This action, we believe, reeks of nonchalance and lack of empathy by those elected to represent the interest of Nigerians.
“This action is grossly unacceptable to us. We demand that the National Assembly calls off this recess and resumes plenary immediately.”
The women maintained that the constant threat of violence and kidnapping has left many Nigerians feeling unsafe and vulnerable.
“Women and children are particularly at risk, with reports of kidnappings and sexual violence on the rise,” the group added.
The statement applauded recent efforts by security agencies in rescuing some of the kidnapped victims, it however demanded that the government takes concrete steps to ensure the safety of its citizens.
“Our security forces must be anticipatory rather than reactionary. This includes increasing security measures, providing support to victims of violence, and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. We also call on national lawmakers to prioritise this issue and take swift action to address it.
“The people of Nigeria deserve to live in peace and security, and it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that this is the case. We urge national lawmakers to take immediate action to address the insecurity and kidnappings in Nigeria,” the statement stressed.
Signatories to this statement include Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC),
Women Aid Collective (WACOL),
Women in Mining ,
Women and Youth Empowerment for Advancement and Health Initiative,
Women Youth and Children 9jafeminista, Abiodun Essiet Initiative for Girls,
Above Whispers Foundation,
Action Aid Nigeria, amongst others.
Gendered dimensions
The women advocates maintained that the intricate web of security challenges had cast a long shadow on the lives of its citizens especially women and girls, while the nation grappled with issues ranging from insurgency to communal clashes.
It further noted that it was crucial to shed light on the often-overlooked gendered dimensions of these crises, particularly their profound impact on women and girls.
The Team Lead at Brainy Age Initiative Henrietta Agboje, a women and children based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that has sustained humanitarian interventions for those displaced due to insecurity, lamented that Nigeria’s security landscape is marred by multifaceted challenges, including terrorism, banditry, and communal violence.
She noted that Boko Haram’s insurgency in the North-east, incessant clashes between herders and farmers in the Middle-Belt, and the surge in other criminal activities have created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty and displaced thousands of women and girls.
She added that in the midst of this turmoil, women and girls find themselves disproportionately affected, facing a unique set of vulnerabilities.
“Women are not safe, they are afraid to allow their kids go to school because of the fear of losing them and this is not good for our development.
“How can we grow if our children who should get some education now stay at home when children in other climes are excelling educationally? This is not good,” she said.
Buttressing the gendered dimensions of insecurity, she maintained that the impact on women and girls in Nigeria extends beyond the immediate threats of violence.
“Displacement, loss of livelihoods, and the breakdown of social structures create a harsh environment where women bear a heavier burden.
“Displaced women often face challenges in accessing essential services, exposing them to health risks and limiting educational opportunities for girls.”
Gendered impact as priotity
On her part, the Head Teacher at Dayfol International school, Ms. Gloria Ehi, said the rate of abduction and exploitation has become ‘a disturbing reality’ calling on the relevant authority to double efforts in ensuring that there was relative peace.
According to her, the high incidence of kidnappings, particularly of school girls, has garnered international attention, recalling the abduction of the Chibok girls in 2014 and subsequent incidents which underline the vulnerability of girls seeking an education.
She therefore called for more priority to be paid to the gendered impact of insecurity across the country.
“The fear of abduction not only hampers access to education but also perpetuates a cycle of fear that restricts the mobility and freedom of women and girls,” she said.
Trauma, mental health challenges
Last week, a resident of Lugbe in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja narrated how she was shut
just at the entrance to her house and her was car stolen.
In the same vein, another female development worker, resident in Mape in the FCT who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she now lived in constant fear hearing of the high rate of kidnappings and car snatching in the territory.
“I don’t have a standby gate man because some members of my compound don’t want those extra expenses. I won’t blame them much, though, because economy is hard. However, we need to make individual efforts. I had complained to the Landlord, but if the others won’t pay, I may have to look for another apartment.
“Whenever I drive to my gate I am always scared coming down from the car to open the gate and drive in because so many residents have lost their cars in the process,” she narrated.
“There is kidnapping and killings everywhere and every minute, just few days ago, school children in a bus were kidnapped. We are at war,” she declared.
Experts have stated that living in an environment marked by violence and insecurity takes a toll on mental health, with women and girls experiencing higher levels of trauma.
The lack of mental health support, which is not readily available in Nigeria, exacerbates the long-term impact, affecting people’s ability to rebuild their lives and contribute meaningfully to society.
Blueprint Weekend reports that despite the challenges, Nigerian women and girls resiliently strive for empowerment.
However, grassroots initiatives, community support networks, and advocacy efforts are emerging to address the gendered dimensions of insecurity.
These efforts aim to provide education, economic opportunities, and mental health support to help women and girls rebuild their lives.
Call to action
Addressing the security challenges in Nigeria requires a comprehensive approach that acknowledges and addresses the specific vulnerabilities faced by women and girls.
Investments in education, healthcare, and economic opportunities for women can contribute to building resilient communities.
Moreover, international collaboration and support are essential to fostering sustainable solutions and promoting a future where the shadows of insecurity no longer loom large over the lives of Nigerian women and girls.
Project-free Nasarawa 30
In another press statement, over 300 women groups lamented the maltreatment of women by security agencies in Nasarawa state.
The women were on a peaceful and armless protest when they were reportedly attacked by agents of the state government.
The statement, which is an Initiative of Project-Free Nasarawa 30, called on the agents of the state government to end every form of attack on innocent women, but rather protect them.
Project-Free Nasarawa 30 is a national and non-partisan coalition comprising of civil right activists, citizens’ journalists, rights’ organisations, and international advocacy and solidarity groups, demanding the release of the Nasarawa 30, a group of women arrested over unacceptable charges filed by the Nasarawa state government for exercising their rights to assemble and express themselves.
The statement noted that the prosecution of the women showed the failure of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and the Nasarawa state government to uphold the right of citizens under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to protest, assemble and freely express themselves.
“These women were nude, demonstrating clearly that they were both committed to peaceable protest and unarmed. It is a travesty to then accuse them of being violent when in fact, they were the people violated by the attack from the uniformed personnels, including with projectiles.
“Security agents, nearly all of them male, assaulted, beat up, shot at, and seriously injured some of these women in clear violation of the Constitution and in full public view.
“Locking them up in indefinite pre-trial detention at the instance of those whom they were protesting against constitutes political persecution,” the women group decried.
“Nigerians are unhappy to hear of the arrest, prosecution and persecution of 30 women in Nasarawa, among others, for exercising their rights to protest against an INEC instigated miscarriage of justice in the Nasarawa gubernational election of 2023, and the decision of the Supreme Court which upheld the results as declared.
“The misuse of security services and the abuse through the judiciary to promote partisan propaganda and political agenda should be rejected by all and it is upon this ideological and ethical basis that Project Free Nasarawa 30 is rallying its regional and international network to ensure that the further violation of the rights of these women stops with a call on the government of Nasarawa state to end the abusive use of state power.
“An attack on the Nasarawa 30 is an attack on all women across the globe. End the persecution now! Free Nasarawa 30 unconditionally Today,” they added.
“Project Free Nasarawa 30 rejects in totally the tactics and aggression against these women, and calls for the immediate review of their bail conditions to grant them freedom without the culture of punitive bail terms that have been unethically and wrongly adopted by the current judicial bench to justify empty allegations against the Nasarawa 30,” they stressed further.