Insecurity: Women Activists Berate National Assembly, Say ‘You’ve Stayed Too Long At Home’

A coalition of over 500 women’s organisations and activists known as Womanifesto has urged the National Assembly to end its break and return to plenary immediately to address the ongoing killings and insecurity in Nigeria.

According to them, it was unimaginable that, in the midst of the crisis, the National Assembly extended its holiday after a three-week Christmas and New Year break, claiming that the action “reeks of nonchalance and lack of empathy by those elected to represent Nigerians.”

Womanifesto raised the concerns in a statement jointly signed by a former Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili; Executive Director of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi; Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND); Women Aid Collective.
Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, Amnesty International Nigeria, 100 Women Lobby Group (100WLG), Yiaga Africa, and the Women in Politics Forum.

The activists cited Section 14(2b) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which states that the government’s primary goal must be the welfare and security of its citizens, even though the Constitution also guarantees every Nigerian citizen the right to life, liberty, and personal security.

The statement read, “The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) reveals that over 380 people were kidnapped in Nigeria between December 1, 2023 and January 3, 2024. According to SBM Intelligence data, the number of reported kidnappings in Nigeria increased to 3,620 between June 2022 and July 2023. Furthermore, government statistics for Abuja show 40 kidnappings involving 236 victims between January 2021 and June 2023. We believe, however, that the actual number of people kidnapped in Nigeria in 2024 may be higher.

“In the midst of this crisis, Womanifesto finds it unbelievable that the National Assembly extended its holiday after a three-week Christmas and New Year’s break. We believe that this action reeks of nonchalance and a lack of empathy on the part of those elected to represent Nigerians’ interests. This action is completely unacceptable to us. We demand that the National Assembly cancel this break and resume plenary immediately.

“The ongoing threat of violence and kidnapping has made many Nigerians feel unsafe and vulnerable. Women and children are especially vulnerable, with reports of kidnapping and sexual violence on the rise. This continued holiday is unacceptable and must be addressed immediately.

“While we applaud security agencies’ recent efforts to rescue some of the kidnapped victims, we demand that the government take concrete steps to ensure the safety of its citizens.” Our security forces must be proactive, rather than reactive. This includes strengthening security measures, assisting victims of violence, and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. We also urge national lawmakers to prioritise this issue and take prompt action to address it.

“The Nigerian people deserve to live in peace and security, and it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that this happens. We urge national lawmakers to take immediate action to address Nigeria’s insecurity and kidnappings.

“The safety and security of Nigerian citizens, particularly women and children, which should be the government’s top priority, has been repeatedly threatened for years and has now reached a climax, with citizens being kidnapped from their homes in broad daylight. Nigerians have felt the brunt of the crisis and have had to crowdfund ransoms for criminals. Despite this, victims of kidnappings continue to be murdered by criminals, causing the nation to suffer greatly.”