Repeated violence against women in Nigeria no longer passes

Text by: RFI Follow

A series of rapes followed by murders of young women and very young children arouses strong emotion in Nigeria. A protest movement seems to have started since this week. After social networks, activist organizations are moving into high gear with concrete actions to end the feeling of impunity in the face of this type of violence in the country.

Publicity

With our correspondent in Abuja, Moïse Gomis

Marches bringing together collectives of Nigerian feminist organizations took place on Friday June 5 in Lagos and Abuja. Mostly dressed in black, a hundred women and a dozen men chant slogans in front of a hedge of police blocking access to their national headquarters. All of them carry protest signs at arm's length. A few days ago in Ibadan, a young woman was fatally assaulted. A week ago it was in Benin City: a young student had been raped and then killed inside a church. the ras-le-bol is palpable.

The atmosphere grows heavier when Chioma Agwuegbo, one of the leaders of the movement, speaks. She has been reporting all cases of rape and feminicide in Nigeria
since January 1, 2020. “  Just yesterday, a four-year-old girl, who was raped in Calabar Cross River state, died. Justice was done yesterday for a two-year-old baby who was raped and murdered. But it took four years, we don't deserve that in this country. Justice after four years is not good,  ”she said.

A delegation delivers an official letter to the Inspector General, the boss of the Nigerian police. This letter criticizes the indifference, even contempt, displayed by certain agents when victims or their relatives want to file a complaint.

In camouflage, Nigerian police spokesperson Frank Mba
addressed the crowd briefly: “  There is a real conspiracy of silence. And the majority of rape cases are never reported. Whether inside families, in churches, in offices, among politicians or in schools,  ”he says.

And this silence in Nigeria, Chioma Agwuegbo and all the procession she leads promise to break it forever.

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• Nigeria
• Women