New data has revealed that 150 Nigerian women and girls were killed for ritual purposes between January 2018 and December 2021.
This is coming from research by Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND)
In the report, PIND said that the upsurge in targeted killings of women and girls for ritual purposes occurred in Cross River, Delta and Imo.
The NGO said the situation is driven by a growing demand for human body parts for money-making.
It said that the trend endangers the safety and security of women and girls.
PIND said In January 2022, more than 10 girls were reportedly killed for rituals in Ogoja town, Cross River state.
PIND said that if this is not addressed, it could have “far-reaching” socio-economic and political repercussions at the state and regional levels.
It also recommended that “stakeholders should work with relevant government agencies, including the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to address the underlying drivers and develop appropriate punitive and preventive measures to mitigate the situation”.
