Constance Iroele-Megafu
Nigerians are becoming increasingly worried about the growing number of ritual-related killings targeting young women in universities across several states.
Justina Otuene-Nkang(Photo credit: BBC)
One shocking case from last year involved Justina Otuene-Nkang, a 300-level student of Biochemistry at the University of Port Harcourt (UniPort). Her boyfriend, Damian Okoligwe, a 400-level student of Petrochemical Engineering at the same school, was arrested after her dismembered body was found in his apartment on October 25, 2023. The police suspect the murder was for ritual purposes. Damian is currently in custody, awaiting trial.
Rights Advocate Sounds Alarm
Although there have been no new reported cases in Rivers State this year, human rights advocate Tombari Dumka-Kote believes ritual killings are still happening in universities but are being covered up by school authorities.
In an interview with correspondent Constance Iroele-Megafu, Mr. Dumka-Kote criticised school authorities for their silence, which he says encourages the perpetrators. “It is very high as we speak on our campuses. The refusal of the authorities concerned to make this public, is encouraging the perpetrators rather than discouraging them”, he lamented.
He stressed the need for schools to raise awareness and work with security teams to protect students.“The school management must join efforts with the Response Team, if we must end this,” he said.
The Rights Advocate also rejected the idea that female victims are to blame. Some Nigerians believe that fraudsters (also known as “Yahoo boys”) are behind these killings and that the victims are targeted because of their greed. But Mr. Dumka-Kote argues that “there is no justification for ritual killings. Evil is evil and must be condemned!”
A female student at the Rivers State University, who chose to remain anonymous, also rejected the victim-blaming narrative. She said, “These guys are driven by greed and material things. They are doing it to satisfy their materialistic wants.”
Parents Express Concern
Reports of ritual killings have also surfaced in other parts of the country. In May this year, a young man in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, was arrested for allegedly killing his lover, and in August, a female student in Ogun State was kidnapped and killed by a male friend.
These reports have left parents worried. Oga Nonso, a father with two children in universities in Rivers State, believes that parents must instil strong moral values in their children and maintain open communication. “The onus is on us parents to admonish our children very well and also pray for them because when they are there (in school), you don’t know who they are meeting with. Warn them to be careful of the kind of friends they keep, social gatherings they attend”, he said.
He also admonishes parents to be actively involved in their children’s lives. “I usually tell my kids, before you even go anywhere, please call us on the phone, if need be, give us the number of the person you are going out with,” he added.
Other parents blame the rise in ritual killings on poor upbringing and the desperation among young people, especially the males to get rich quickly. During a call-in radio show, a father shared his concerns about the loss of values in society. He said, “the upbringing we had in the early 80’s we don’t have them now. Instead, parents are now telling their children ‘you no know say Nigeria hard’? do whatever you can to make money.”
Another lamented that many girls are searching for love outside their homes because they never received it from their families. He regretted that, “most children, especially the girl child, have never been loved at home and they are going out to look for love.”
Another caller, a mother, warned young girls not to trust people too easily. She said, “women, girls, will just see a stranger and begin to think that he loves you so much. He tells you to come somewhere and you begin to go? Life is only one and you cannot have it back once it goes.”
Data on Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria
In Nigeria, violence against women takes many forms, including domestic, verbal, and physical abuse, rape and sexual assault, early and forced marriages, incest, female genital mutilation, acid attacks, and outright killing.
Uju-Kennedy-Ohanaeye (Photo credit: Online)
Nigeria’s former Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kenedy-Ohanenye, revealed during the 2023 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) that statistics from the GBV Data Situation Room estimate that 35% of women, or one in every three Nigerian females, experience violence at some point in their lives, mostly by an intimate partner. She also stated, “In the last one year, Nigeria, under the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative program being implemented in six states (Adamawa, Lagos, Sokoto, Cross River, Ebonyi, and the FCT), recorded 27,698 cases of SGBV between 2020 and 2023.”
However, many incidents go unreported due to cultural pressures and private resolutions, which often complicate formal documentation. Human Rights and Gender Advocates have for years called for stronger political support to effectively tackle GBV across all states, especially with the adoption of the VAPP Act by states of the federation.
Challenges in Seeking Justice
While these cases generate public outrage, seeking justice for the victims is not easy. According to Glory Anuri-Ohia, Rivers State Coordinator for the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), many families are reluctant to pursue justice, often leaving the matter “in God’s hands.” She urged families to take action and work with human rights organizations and the police to bring perpetrators to justice.
According to her,“We like to say “leave am for God, God go judge”, I personally frown at it. It’s a criminal offence and a whole lot of bodies like the NBA, Police have a human rights desk. But are parents willing to pursue?
“Concluding that a yahoo boy has money, he has politicians who are supporting him and for that reason give up even without trying,” she added.
However, Mrs. Anuri-Ohia acknowledged that delays in the justice system, such as constant adjournments and police bureaucracy, can discourage families. She noted that while the process may be slow, it is important that such families stay committed to pursuing justice. She said, “Yes the delays are there, the adjournments, the back and forth with the police, all of that can be tiring, but that’s not to say that you cannot pursue your right. It’s about the willingness to pursue your rights, not lack of laws.”
Calls for Swift Justice
Evelyn Membere-Asimia, the National Deputy Head of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), called for faster legal proceedings to ensure that those arrested for these crimes are punished. She urged the police and security agencies to thoroughly investigate and leave no stone unturned. She said, “My appeal to the police force, the security agencies is to do much more to investigate. Perpetrators should be punished for their crime.”
#Constance Iroele-Megafu writes this report as part of the requirement for 2024 Women in Journalism Fellowship organised by the Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals in Port Harcourt, Rivers State
