The House of Representatives has called on the National Judicial Council to facilitate the designation of special divisions within existing courts at all levels to handle homicide, femicide and related cases expeditiously.
The House also urged relevant law enforcement agencies to prioritise homicide investigations and ensure thorough prosecution of offenders.
It further urged religious organisations, the National Orientation Agency and other advocacy groups to initiate public awareness campaigns focusing on instilling ethical values and respect for human life and to promote programs that educate young people on the dangers of ritual killings, murder, and manslaughter.
The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on “A National Call to Halt Homicidal and Femicidal Acts in Nigeria,” sponsored by Mr. Awaji-Inombek D. Abiante, Mr. Faleke James Abiodun, Mr. Ogah Amobi Godwin and Mr. Manu Soro Mansur.
Leading the debate on the motion, Mr. Awaji-Inombek D. Abiante said that the House notes that the right to life is a fundamental human right guaranteed by the Constitution while homicide cases, including murder, manslaughter, and other violent crimes leading to the termination of life, have been on the rise across the country, provoking public demand for justice.
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He also noted that femicide, the intentional killing of women and girls due to their gender, has become a significant concern, with several reported cases in recent years.
He listed some of the cases recorded so far:
- February 2020: Patience Adibe was killed by her boyfriend in Benin after a brief argument.
- May 2020: Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100-level Level Microbiology Student of the University of Benin, was raped and murdered in a church, Collins Ujegbulem, one of the suspects, claimed that a woman paid them to kill her for ritual purposes.
- June 2020: Barakat Bello, an 18-year-old Student in Ibadan, was raped and stabbed to death;
- September 2020: 11 years old Favour Okechukwu was gang-raped and killed by four men in Lagos.
- April 2021: Iniobong Umoren, a fresh graduate, was raped and murdered by a man posing as a job interviewer in Uyo;
- December 2021: Hanifa Abubakar, a 5-year-old girl, was kidnapped, poisoned, and murdered by her school proprietor in Kano;
- February 2022: Fashion designer Bamise Ayanwole was murdered after boarding a BRT Bus in Lagos;
- April 2022: Ifeanyi Njoku killed his girlfriend for money rituals;
- July 2022: Eunice Chioma Igweike was abducted
- July 2023: Benjamin Best murdered his girlfriend, Augusta Osedion, a 300 Level Student at the University of Port Harcourt;
- August 2023: Oghenefejiro Regha was killed by her boyfriend for ritual purposes;
- October 2023: Okoligwe Damian Chinemere killed Justina Otuene Nkang, a fellow student at the University of Port Harcourt;
- May 2024: Elisha was arrested for killing his lover, Edima, in a ritual murder;
- June 2024: Glory Adekolure was raped and killed in Benin;
- August 2024: Fatai Mogaji stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death, while Mojisola Awesu was murdered in a hotel;
- September 2024: Jeremiah Samson killed Abigail Damilola, a University Student, and buried her body;
- January 2025: the recent killing of Salome Adaidu, a National Youth Corps Member, in Nasarawa State is a continuation of the trend; and
- the killing of Chioma Nwana, who was set ablaze by her husband in Anambra after a heated argument.
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He said that he was distraught by the delays in the prosecution of homicide cases, which have caused prolonged pre-trial detentions, which is overcrowding the correctional facilities, and the loss of crucial evidence, eroding public faith in the judicial system.
“Concerned that the slow and ineffective justice system allows perpetrators to gain media attention while trials for serious crimes like homicide are prolonged, an example is the case of Chidinma Ojukwu, under trial for the murder of Usifo Ataga, continues to gain publicity, and the notorious kidnapper Evans, facing trial for murder, has been awarded scholarship.
“Aware that the National Judicial Council (NJC) is responsible for overseeing the Judiciary and improving the efficiency of the judicial process.
“Convinced that establishing Special Divisions within existing courts with exclusive jurisdiction over homicide and related cases will expedite justice, reduce backlogs, and restore public confidence in the legal system
“Also convinced that ethical enlightenment through public awareness campaigns focusing on instilling ethical values and respect for human life and the integration of emotional intelligence programs to help young people develop non-violent problem-solving skills, could help curb this menace,” he said.
The House resolved to mandate the committees on Judiciary and Human Rights to liaise with the National Judicial Institute, NJC and other relevant
stakeholders to monitor the implementation of this resolution and report progress within a stipulated timeframe.
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