250 women’s rights and civil society organisations under the umbrella of Womanifesto Nigeria have condemned the rising wave of kidnappings, abductions and violent attacks targeting women, girls and children across the country.
Penpushing reports that women’s rights and civil society organisations in a statement signed by its Convener, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi warned that the worsening insecurity has left many families living in fear and uncertainty.
The coalition expressed concern that many victims remain in captivity without rescue, justice or accountability, despite growing cases of abductions in several parts of the country, pointing out that the continued attacks on schools, communities and travellers reflect a deepening national security crisis disproportionately affecting women and children.
“Across the country, families continue to live in fear and uncertainty while countless women and girls remain missing, kidnapped or trapped in the hands of armed groups, bandits and criminal networks’, the statement said.
Penpushing further reports that the coalition cited recent reports of attacks in Borno State and Oyo State where dozens of children were reportedly abducted during attacks on schools, and equally raised concerns over incidents in parts of South-West Nigeria where women travelling, farming or residing in rural communities were allegedly kidnapped and held for ransom by armed groups.
“Particularly disturbing are reports from communities in the South-West where women travelling, farming or living in rural communities have allegedly been kidnapped and held for ransom amid growing insecurity’, the statement added.
Penpushing also reports that the group specifically referenced reports from Ekiti State indicating that several women, including a pregnant woman and a nursing mother, were abducted by gunmen earlier in the year.
The coalition in same vein, highlighted recent incidents in Kwara State where women and children were abducted during attacks on communities by suspected bandits and armed groups, stressing that reports indicated that over 170 residents, mostly women and children, were kidnapped from communities in Kaiama Local Government Area, while other attacks across the state targeted families, rural residents and traditional institutions.
Penpushing reports that Womanifesto, lamented that the repeated incidents reveal systemic failures in security response and protection mechanisms across the country.
‘These incidents are not isolated. They reflect a dangerous national crisis where women and girls increasingly bear the devastating consequences of insecurity, weak law enforcement and institutional
Penpushing further reports that the coalition expressed concern over what it described as delayed rescue efforts for victims still being held captive, warning that prolonged captivity exposes women and girls to severe risks including sexual violence, physical abuse, trauma and exploitation.
“Every day spent in captivity exposes women and girls to grave dangers, including sexual violence, physical abuse, trauma and exploitation. It is unacceptable that families are repeatedly left to negotiate ransoms, search forests and plead publicly for help while the state fails to guarantee their safety and freedom’, the statement said.
Penpushing also reports that Womanifesto warned against what it described as the gradual normalisation of abductions across the country, noting that communities are increasingly adjusting to fear rather than receiving protection from authorities.
“Parents are withdrawing children from schools. Women are increasingly unsafe in public spaces, farms,highways and even within their own communities,” the coalition lamented.
Penpushing reports that the group called on the Nigerian Government and security agencies to intensify rescue operations for kidnapped women, girls and children still in captivity, while demanding transparent investigations into recent abductions and prosecution of perpetrators and sponsors.
The body in the statement urged authorities to strengthen security around schools, highways and rural communities where women and children remain highly vulnerable, and demanded accountability for security lapses and called for psychosocial support, medical care and reintegration assistance for survivors of abduction and violence.
Penpushing further reports that Womanifesto equally advocated gender-responsive security strategies that recognise the specific risks faced by women and girls during conflict and insecurity.
“Nigeria cannot continue to lose women and children to violence while authorities offer repeated assurances without sustainable action. Every kidnapped woman or child represents a family living in anguish and a nation failing in its responsibility to protect its citizens.”
Penpushing also reports that the organisations include Abiodun Essiet Initiative for Girls, Action Aid Nigeria, ACTS Generation GBV, Ade Grange Child Foundation, ADEM Community Human Development Foundation, Adinya Arise Foundation (AAF),Advocate for Health and Development Initiative, African Women’s Initiative (AWI), Ajegunle Community Project, Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation, Alliances for Afriica (AfA), Amazing Grace Inspirations, Aminchi Women Cooperative Society, Amnesty International Nigeria and ARDA Development Communication Inc.
The others are Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation, ASWHAN, ATATA Development and Empowerment Foundation (ADEF), Affirmative Action Initiative for Women (NCAA), Association of Nigeria Women’s Business Network (ANWBN), Association of Women in Trade and Agriculture (AWITA), Association Against Women Exploitation and Degradation (AAWED), Amaclare Connect and Development Initiative, AWEP, ANWIB, FEBWE, FEDAN and BLECCA Foundation
Penpushing reports that the list includes, Bring Back Our Girls, Briskila Emefesi Women Foundation (BEWOF), Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, Cece Yara Foundation, Cedar Seed Foundation, CEE-HOPE Nigeria, Center for Economic Empowerment and Gender Activities (CEEGA), Centre for Alternative Development and Self-Enhancement (CEADESE NG), Centre for Health and Development in Africa (CHEDA) and Centre for Nonviolence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria (CENGAIN)
The others are Centre for Peace Education and Community Development, Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN), Change Managers International Network, Center for Women’s Health and Information, Centre for Media and Development Communications, Civil Resource Development and Documentation Center (CIRDDOC), Citizenship and Human Development Initiative, Charity Women Spring of Salvation and Chedal Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society
Penpushing further reports in the list of organasiations include, Child Care and Adult Protection Initiative (CCAPI), Choung-Dung Women Association, Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS),Christian Women in Nigerian Politics, Citizens Center for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR), Community and Youth Development and Community Education Advancement of Peace and Development Initiative (CEAPDI)
The statement disclosed others as Community Initiative for Healthy and Peaceful Society Community Life Project (CLP), Community Rescue Initiative (CRI), Community Women Initiatives (CWI), Country Associates Network (CAN), Courageous People Health and Development Initiative (CPHDL), Crestville Development Foundation (CDF), CWEMA and Daria Media Foundation (DMF)
Penpushing also reports that others are Diaspora Womanifesto2019, Dinidari Foundation (DF), Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF), Dream Alive Women and Orphans Support Foundation (DAWOS Foundation), Echoes of Women in Africa Initiatives, Edo Women’s Development Initiative, Education As A Vaccine (EVA),EiE Nigeria, Emerge Women (EW), Empowerment and Action Research Centre (EARC) and Equality Through Education Foundation (ETEF)
The others are Equity Advocates/ The Woman Today Newspaper, FACICP Disability Plus,FAME Foundation, Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON), Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Federation of Paralegal Network (FEDPAN), Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Fembridge Development Initiative (FEDI), FIDA Nigeria, First Future Leadership and FOMWAN
Penpushing reports that included are Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FACE-PAM), FRED, FEDAN, Gender Action Awareness Trust, Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN), Gender and Development Action (GADA), Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative (GERI), Gender Awareness Trust (GAT), Gender Development Initiative, Gender Equality Center and Gender Equality, Peace and Development Centre
The others are Gender Technical Unit (GTU),Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI), Girl Child Advocacy and Education Initiatives, Girl Child Africa, Girl Education Rehabilitation and Care (GERAC), Girls Power Initiative (GPI), Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation (GLOHWOC), Green Spring Development Initiative, Gender Awareness Trust (GAT), Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN) and Habiba Dangana (Hadis) Foundation
Penpushing further reports it equally include, Heal Disability Initiative, Health Education and Human Rights Advocacy Initiative, Health Reform Foundation Of Nigeria(HERFON),HEIR Women Development (HWD), Help Initiative for Social Justice & Humanitarian Development, Hope for New Life (HNL), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)Nigeria and Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD)
The statement stated that others are Inter Africa Committee (IAC),Inter Gender Peace Foundation (IGPF), International Action Network on Small Arms Women Network (IANSA), International Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida Nigeria), International Hairstylists, Barber and Body Therapists (IHSTOBAN), International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH) and International Women Communication Centre (IRIAD)
Penpushing also reports that on the list are Iyaniwura Children Care Foundation (ICCF), Jamatul Nasir Islam, Women Wing, Jana Health Foundation (JHF), Foundation for Justice Development and Peace (FJDP), Justice Development and Peace Mission (JDPM), KMashi Gamji Women, Kebetkache Women Development And Resources Centre, Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) and Kungiyar Tallafin Mata Development Initiative (KTMDI)
The others are League of Queens International Empowerment (LQIE), League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV), LEDAP, Lift Initiative, League of Queens International Empowerment, Legislative Advocacy Coalition on Violence Against Women Initiative (LACVAW), Media &Teens Network, Media Concern Initiative for Women and Children, Media Concern Initiative (MediaCon) for Women and Children, MODAC and Mothers United and Mobilised (MUMs)
Penpushing reports that others include More Women in Politics, My Voice My Future NGO, Nasrul – Lahi-L- Faith Society (NASFAT), NAWE, NNEW, NAWORG, Nigerian Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ), National Centre for Women Development, National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women, Neighbourhood Care-Well Foundation and Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN
The list contained Next Initiative for Gender Actions (NIGA),NEWA,NGAS Women Farmers’ Cooperative Society, Nigeria For Women Project, Nigeria Labour Congress, Women Committee, Nigerian Express, Nigerian Women Politics Forum, Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NTWF) and Ogayem Merciful Care and Support Initiatives (OMCSI)
Penpushing further reports that others are Ogun Women Alive,Okwuzi Women Forum,Olive Community Development Initiatives, Onomese Foundation, Open Arms Initiative for Sustainable Development (OPAISD), Osi Joe Touching Lives Initiative, Ovie Brume Foundation, Partners West Africa, Peasant Dragnet and Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI)
The list include Ray of Hope Community Foundation, Relief Development Initiative Kaduna, Responsible Citizenship and Human Development Initiative, Sesor Empowerment Foundation, She Forum Africa, Safe Space Initiative, Save a Child Lend a Hand Foundation, Sheforshe Africa Initiative, She Mentors Initiative, Shout Global Health and Small-scale Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SWOFON)
Penpushing also reports others as South- South Professional Women Association.,Stand to End Rape (STER), Stephanie Peace Building Development Foundation, Support For Needy Children and Women Initiative (SUNCHI),TechHerNG, THR Media, The Inclusion Project (TIP), The Priceless Jewels Foundation and THR Media – HERFESSIONS INITIATIVE
The statement said others are Tonia Bruised but Not Broken Foundation, Transformation and Development Center (TDC), Transition Monitoring Group, Tunde & Friends Foundation (TAFF), UC Women Commission, UTO Foundation, Vision Spring Initiatives (VSI and Voice of Ogun Women (VOW)
Penpushing reports that others include West African Network for Peace, WEWENETWORK AFRIQUE, WEPDN, Widows Development Organization (WIDO), Woman-Being Concern Nigeria (WBC), Women’s Leadership Group (WLG), Women &Youth Awareness Empowerment Network (WOYAEN), Women Advocacy, HIV Prevention and Other Diseases (WAHPOD) and Women AT Risk International Foundation (WARIF)
The list stated that others are Women Aid Collective (WACOL), Women in Mining, Women and Youth Empowerment for Advancement and Health Initiative, Women Youth and Children Upliftment Foundation (WYCUT), Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON), Women Education Advocacy and Development Initiatives (WEADI) and Women Empowerment and Initiative Development
Penpushing further reports that others are Women Empowerment and Reproductive Health Centre (WERHC), Women Empowerment Education and Peace Building Initiative (WEPBI), Women Environmental Programme (WEP), Women Farmers Alliance (WFA), Women for Peace and Gender Equality Initiative (WOPEGEE) and Women for Women International (W4WI)
The others: Women Foundation Initiative (WFI), Women Foundation of Nigeria (WFN), Women in Action for Positive Development and Gender Enhancement Center (WAPGADEC), Former Women Action Organization (WAO), Women in Africa Initiative (WIAI), Women in Agriculture (WIA), Women in Mining (WIM), Women in Politics Forum (WiPF) and Women Information Network (WINET)
Pepushing also reports that others are Women Initiative for Democracy and Empowerment (WIDE), Women Law and Development Initiative (WOLDI), Women Law Development Center of Nigeria (WLDCN), Women Lead Agric (WLA), Women League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), Women of Vision Development Initiative and Women Protection Organization (WOPO)
The list stated others as Women Wing of The Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), Women, Infants and Children Care Initiative (WICCI), Women, Youths and Children Advancement Program, Women Optimum Development Foundation-WODEF, Women Right to Education Programme (WREP) and Women’s Crisis Centre Owerri
Penpushing reports that included are Women’s Rights and Health Project,Working Moms Africa (WMA), Women Initiative on Climate change,Women in Management Buisness and Public Service (WIMBIZ), WISCAR, Women Democracy Network Africa – Nigeria, WomenPreneurs (AWEBO) and Yiaga Africa, Youth Future Savers Initiative (YFSI), Zonta International Club of Lagos 1,50MAWSP and 100 Women Lobby Group (100WLG
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