The Womanifesto movement has strongly condemned the violent attack on women who staged a peaceful protest at the Kwara State Government House in Ilorin, demanding urgent action over worsening insecurity in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement issued on December 30, 2025, the Co-Convener of Womanifesto, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, described the incident as “a grave violation of the constitutional rights of Nigerian women” and issued a 14-day ultimatum to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the Kwara State Government to take decisive action.
According to the statement, the women who protested were relatives of victims of abduction, many of whom have been held in captivity for months. Womanifesto stressed that the protesters were neither criminals nor political actors.
“They were wives, mothers, and caregivers searching for their abducted husbands and children. Their protest was a desperate cry for protection and justice,” Akiyode-Afolabi said.
Instead of receiving protection, the group said the women were violently attacked. Eyewitness accounts and video footage circulating on social media allegedly show men armed with canes emerging from within the Government House premises to beat and chase the protesters, while police officers present reportedly failed to intervene.
“This attack occurred in front of a government facility where protesters ought to have been protected, not assaulted,” the statement noted.
Womanifesto emphasised that peaceful protest is a constitutional right and described the incident as “a serious indictment of the state.” The group added that the attack raised concerns about women’s safety in Kwara State, especially given Governor AbdulRazaq’s position as the Chief Security Officer of the state and his public image as a gender-sensitive leader.
While acknowledging the governor’s swift public statement distancing himself from the attack, Womanifesto said condemnation alone was insufficient.
“Distancing the state from this terrible act is not enough. Condemnation without accountability only emboldens perpetrators,” the group said.
Womanifesto disclosed that it has been in direct contact with some of the affected women, who recounted experiences of harassment, humiliation, and physical assault during the protest.
“Their trauma is real, and their treatment is unacceptable in any democratic society,” the statement added.
The group therefore issued a set of demands and gave the Kwara State Government a 14-day ultimatum to respond. These include a public explanation of how and why the protesters were attacked, the immediate identification and prosecution of those involved in the assault, and a detailed report from the Commissioner of Police on the alleged failure of law enforcement officers to protect the women.
Womanifesto also demanded full disclosure of any arrests made, concrete steps toward justice, clear commitments to prevent future attacks, and urgent action to address insecurity in Oke-Ode, including transparent updates on efforts to rescue abducted persons and support affected families.
“If hoodlums are not brought to book, this pattern of violence will persist, and women, already disproportionately affected by insecurity, will continue to suffer in silence,” the group warned.
Reaffirming its solidarity with the women of Oke-Ode and Nigerian women nationwide, Womanifesto said it would continue to monitor the situation and engage relevant authorities.
“Failure to act within the stipulated 14 days will compel us to escalate our advocacy through all lawful and democratic means available,” the statement concluded.
Womanifesto described the brutalisation of women seeking help as unacceptable, insisting that accountability must be enforced and that silence is not an option.
