…Gives Nigerian government four weeks ultimatum to address incessant Killings
By Chimezie Godfrey
Women groups under the aegis of Womanifesto has strongly condemned the recent attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo in Ondo state which left dozens of people men, women and young persons dead and many others critically wounded.
The groups made their grievances known via a statement signed and by the Co-Convener, Womenifesto, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi made available to Newsdiaryonline.
Afolabi lamented the fact that the said attack is another evidence of disregard for human life and the incessant murder of defenceless citizens by criminal gangs.
“Our hearts go out to the families, friends and loved ones of all those affected by this vile and evil act. We also commiserate with the Catholic Community and the entire people of Ondo state.
“This cold-blooded massacre in St. Francis Church is yet another evidence of the blatant disregard for human life and the incessant murder of defenceless citizens by criminal gangs who have been maurading unchecked across our country. As a result, thousands of people are widowed and children orphaned. It is reported that over 3, 515 people have died as a result of violent attacks between January and June, 2022, with 1, 214 deaths in March, ranking higher than the 996 deaths recorded in January (Nigeria Security Tracker).
“The Owo massacre in which citizens in their place of worship were killed, again raises the question of governance failure considering that our 1999 Constitution asserts security and welfare of citizens as a primary responsibility of the government. Thesame Constitution centralizes the command and control of security establishments in the Federal Government through the President of Nigeria as Commander-In-Chief of the Nigeria Armed Forces.
“According to a report, at least 14, 641 people have been killed across the six regions in Nigeria in the past 3 years, and in just the first 5 months of this year, about 3173 have been killed and more than 2293 abducted in similar circumstances[1]. Unfortunately, the failure of the government to properly investigate or take tangible actions to ensure justice or deter future occurrences continues to exacerbate the crises. Since its insurgence in 2009, the herdsmen and banditry attacks have risen exponentially as the government has failed to demonstrate the capacity to address the insecurity plaguing the country.
“We therefore call on President Mohammadu Buhari, the Federal Government, the Nigeria Police and all other relevant Federal Law Enforcement Agency to take immediate measures beyond condemning this barbaric act- to end the insecurity in the country.”
According to Afolabi, Womanifesto demands in the medium term, a comprehensive restructure of Nigeria’s security architecture through a National Conversation on a new Constitution to replace the problematic 1999 Constitution.
“In the immediate term, however, we demand the following actions by the Federal and Ondo State Governments:
” Publish the identities of all the victims of the Owo tragedy including those that died as well as the injured.
“Demonstrate accountability and carry out a speedy investigation that is conclusive – leads to arrests, successful judicial prosecution and sentencing of the killers.
” Make immediate contact, provide constant updates, and appropriate succour for all the families of victims of the tragedy by the Federal and Ondo state governments.
“Present as a matter of urgency, a state of national security status report to Nigerians in fulfilment of the constitutional duty of the President and the security agencies.
“Transparently communicate the performance of the security establishments in light of the huge budgetary provisions allocated annually to the counter-terrorism war,” he stated.
Afolabi further stated that Womanifesto finds the current fixation of Nigeria’s public officials and other politicians with the 2023 elections in a country which has many evident signs of being on the brink of collapse, an unconscionable, unkind, and cynical diversion of energy that should be focused on securing anxiety-numbed citizens.
“We are shocked that our political leaders are continuing to ignore and downplay the rising trend of daily killings of Nigerians in States across the country at a dangerous time like this and instead giving priority to their personal quest for power. This is utterly condemnable.
“We want our President, Governors, and lawmakers across Nigeria to immediately cease from continuing to “major in the minors” and reprioritize the safety and security of citizens to the top of our national agenda. We demand that they focus on the existential threats bedeviling Nigeria and Nigerians now.
“Finally, we shall be monitoring the response of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Federal and Ondo State Governments to our demands. If by July 5th 2022, we do not see any strong signs of progress on our five demands, Nigerian women will take every step necessary to stand for the preservation of the lives of our citizens.
“We emphatically declare that “Enough is Enough!”, he stated.
Other groups that endorsed the statement include, 9jafeminist, Initiative for Girls, Above Whispers Foundation, 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, Advocacy for Women With Disabilities, African Women’s Initiative (AWI), Albertiqs Extra Helping Hands Foundation, African Research Group on Gender, Association of ALIWE Daughters,
Ajegunle Community Project, Ajoke Ayisat, Afolabi Foundation, Alliances for Africa (AfA)
Amazing Grace Inspirations, Aminchi Women Cooperative Society, Amnesty International Nigeria, ARDA Development Communication Inc,vArise 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),AWEP, ANWIB,AWFAN, FEBWE, FEDAN, BLECCA Foundation, Bring Back Our Girls, and
Briskila Emefesi Women Foundation (BEWOF).
Others include, 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),
Centre for Nonviolence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria (CENGAIN), 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, Chedal Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, and Child Care and Adult Protection Initiative (CCAPI).
Also, 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,Community Education Advancement of Peace and Development Initiative (CEAPDI),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
Daria Media Foundation (DMF), Development in Practice Gender and Entrepreneurial Initiative (DIPGEI), Diaspora, Womanifesto2019, Dinidari Foundation (DF),
Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF),
Dream Alive Women and Orphans Support Foundation (DAWOS Foundation), Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, 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), Equality Through Education Foundation (ETEF), 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, FOMWAN, Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FACE-PAM), FRED, FEDAN, Gender Action Awareness Trust, and Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN)
Gender and Development Action (GADA).
Other groups that also endorsed the statement include, Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative (GERI), Gender Awareness Trust (GAT), Gender Development Initiative, Gender Equality Center, Gender Equality, Peace and Development Centre
Gender Technical Unit (GTU), Gender Strategy Advancement International, Girl Child Advocacy and Education Initiatives
Girl Child Africa, Girl Child Education, Care & Rehabilitation, 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),
Habiba Dangana (Hadis) Foundation, 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, Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD), 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),
International Women Communication Centre (IRIAD), Iyaniwura Children Care Foundation (ICCF), and Jamatul Nasir Islam, Women Win.
Furthermore, the statement was equally signed by Jana Health Foundation (JHF),
Julie Oyegun,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),
Kungiyar Tallafin Mata Development Initiative (KTMDI), 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), MBULA Women Association,
Media &Teens Network, Media Concern, Initiative for Women and Children,
Media Concern Initiative (MediaCon) for Women and Children, MODAC, 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,
Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN, Next Initiative for Gender Actions (NIGA), NEWA, NGAS Women Farmers’ Cooperative Society, Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ),
Nigeria For Women Project, Nigeria Labour Congress, Women Committee, Nigerian Express, Nigerian Women Politics Forum
Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NTWF), Non For Now, Ogayem Merciful Care and Support Initiatives (OMCSI), Ogun Women Alive, Okwuzi Women Forum, and Olive Community Development Initiatives.
Also included are Onomese Foundation,
Open Arms Initiative for Sustainable Development (OPAISD), Osi Joe Touching Lives Initiative, Ovie Brume Foundation, Partners West Africa, Peasant Dragnet, Princess Olufemi-Kayode, Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI,), Project Alert on Violence Against Women, 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,
Small-scale Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SWOFON), 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,
THR Media – HERFESSIONS INITIATIVE, Tonia Bruised but Not Broken Foundation, and
Transformation and Development Center (TDC).
Furthermore, Transition Monitoring Group,
Tunde & Friends Foundation (TAFF),
UC Women Commission, UTO Foundation ,
Vision Spring Initiatives (VSI), Voice of Ogun Women (VOW), 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), Women AT Risk International Foundation(WARIF), 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 Upliftment Foundation (WYCUT), Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON), Women education advocacy and development Initiatives (WEADI), Women Empowerment and Initiative Development,
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), Women for Women International (W4WI), 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), Women Information Network (WINET), 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, Women Protection Organization (WOPO), 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), Women’s Crisis Centre Owerri,
Women’s Rights and Health Project and
Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP)
Working Moms Africa (WMA).
And also, Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Women Initiative on Climate change, Women in Politics Forum (WIPF), Women in Management Buisness and Public Service (WIMBIZ), WISCAR, Women Democracy Network Africa – Nigeria WomenPreneurs (AWEBO), Youth Future Savers Initiative (YFSI), Zonta International Club of Lagos, 150MAWSP and 100 Women Lobby Group (100WLG).
