By Disun Amosun
The House of Representatives has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to establish dedicated court divisions within existing judicial structures to fast-track the handling of homicide, femicide, and related cases.
This is as they also called on law enforcement agencies to prioritize homicide investigations and ensure the diligent prosecution of offenders.
The resolutions were arrived at yesterday at the House of Reps sitting sequel to the of a motion titled “A National Call to Halt Homicidal and Femicidal Acts in Nigeria” sponsored by Rep Awaji Inombek Abiante and three others.
Leading the general principles on the debate, Rep. Abiante emphasized that the right to life is a constitutional guarantee and fundamental human right.
He expressed concern over the rising incidents of homicide—including murder and manslaughter—which have sparked public outcry for justice.
Abiante further noted the alarming increase in femicide cases, describing the gender-based killings of women and girls as a growing national crisis that demands urgent attention.
Abiante cited cases of homicide and femicide from 2020 till date, saying: “Disturbed by the following tragic cases: February 2020: Patience Adibe was killed by her boyfriend in Benin after a brief argument; May 2020, Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100 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 years old Student in Ibadan, was raped and stabbed to death. September 2020: 11 years old Favour Okechukwu was gang-raped and killed by four assailants among others in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Capital.
Similar cases of homicide, murder, feticide and related cases were cited across the country over the years, heightening the concern.
The lawmakers expressed worries by the delays in the prosecution of homicide cases, which have caused prolonged pre-trial detentions which is overcrowding the correctional facilities, and loss of crucial evidence, eroding public faith in the judicial system.
“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.
Also speaking on the motion, Rep. Abdul Kareem Ado highlighted the growing frequency of violence against women, which, according to him, has become a persistent menace.
“Mr. Speaker, our women have become menacing machines,” he said, emphasizing that despite the constant occurrence of these tragedies, the response from relevant authorities has been inadequate.
He pointed out that many such cases make headlines for only a few days before they fade into oblivion without meaningful outcomes or justice.
He called for greater accountability from institutions responsible for investigating and enforcing laws to protect women.
Similarly, Rep. Yusuf Gagdi expressed frustration over the inaction towards protecting Nigerian women and girls.
