More than 250 women’s rights and civil society organisations under the coalition Womanifesto Nigeria have condemned the rising cases of kidnappings and violent attacks targeting women, girls and children across Nigeria, warning that worsening insecurity is leaving families traumatised and communities vulnerable.
In a statement issued Tuesday and signed by the coalition’s convener, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi the group said the growing wave of abductions reflects a deepening security crisis in which women and children are increasingly the main victims.
The coalition said many victims remain in captivity without rescue or justice despite repeated reports of attacks on schools, communities and travellers.
According to the statement, insecurity has continued to spread across northern and southern Nigeria, exposing women and children to greater danger.
“Across the country, families continue to live in fear and uncertainty while countless women and girls remain missing, kidnapped or trapped in the hands of armed groups, bandits and criminal networks,” the coalition said.
The group referenced recent attacks in Borno State and Oyo State in which children were reportedly abducted during assaults on schools and communities.
It also expressed concern over incidents in South-West Nigeria where women travelling on highways, working on farms or living in rural communities were allegedly kidnapped for ransom.
Womanifesto cited reports from Ekiti State indicating that several women, including a pregnant woman and a nursing mother, were abducted by gunmen earlier this year.
The coalition said the recurring incidents point to systemic failures in Nigeria’s security and protection systems.
“These incidents are not isolated. They reflect a dangerous national crisis where women and girls increasingly bear the devastating consequences of insecurity, weak law enforcement and institutional failure,” the statement said.
The organisations also expressed concern over delayed rescue operations for victims still in captivity, warning that prolonged detention exposes women and girls to sexual violence, physical abuse, exploitation and long-term trauma.
“It is unacceptable that families are repeatedly left to negotiate ransoms, search forests and plead publicly for help while the state fails to guarantee their safety and freedom,” the coalition said.
The group warned against what it described as the normalisation of abductions in many communities, saying fear has become part of daily life for many Nigerians.
According to the statement, some parents have withdrawn children from schools over safety concerns, while women increasingly face threats in public spaces, on highways and within their communities.
The coalition called on the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue kidnapped women, girls and children still in captivity, conduct transparent investigations into recent abductions and prosecute those responsible.
It also urged authorities to strengthen security around schools, highways and rural communities and demanded accountability for lapses in security operations.
In addition, the organisations called for psychosocial support, medical assistance and reintegration programmes for survivors of abduction and violence, while advocating gender-responsive security policies to address the vulnerabilities faced by women and girls during conflicts and insecurity.
Among the organisations that endorsed the statement were Action Aid Nigeria, Amnesty International Nigeria, Bring Back Our Girls , FIDA Nigeria, National Council of Women Societies, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists and Yiaga Africa.
