From Emma Elekwa, Awka
Three civil society organisations have condemned the alleged killing of a 17-year-old girl, Chiamaka Chukwuokore, in Owerri, Imo State, and called for a thorough investigation and prosecution of anyone found responsible.
The organisations, Onurube Coalition Against Gender-Based Violence, Virgin Heart Foundation, and Sisters With A Goal Initiative, made the call in a joint statement issued in Owerri on Monday, describing the incident as another disturbing example of violence against women and girls.
The late Chiamaka was allegedly pushed from a two-storey building at Ikenegbu, Owerri, on November 1, following an altercation with a 26-year-old man identified by the police as Ifeanyi Chukwu Joseph.
She sustained serious injuries and was rushed to hospital, where she died on November 3.
The organisations said the Imo State Police Command had confirmed that the suspect remained in custody as investigations continued, with the case being treated as a murder allegation.
Expressing concern over allegations that the incident followed the victim’s rejection of unwanted sexual advances, the groups said the circumstances surrounding her death must be thoroughly investigated, stressing that no disagreement or rejection could justify violence against a woman or girl.
They described femicide as a growing human rights concern in Nigeria, citing figures from civil society monitoring organisations which recorded 135 cases in 2024 and 70 by August 5, 2025, according to the Femicide Watch Platform, while DOHS CARES Foundation’s Femicide Observatory reported 150 victims in 2024 and more than 200 in 2025.
The groups, however, noted that the figures came from separate monitoring initiatives and should not be regarded as a consolidated national record.
They also lamented the absence of reliable, publicly available data on femicide in Imo State.
“We call on the Imo State Government, police authorities and relevant justice institutions to ensure a transparent investigation, strengthen protection mechanisms for women and girls, and establish a state-wide system for monitoring and documenting gender-based violence.
“We also urge tertiary institutions to strengthen campus security, sexual harassment reporting channels and safeguarding policies. There is also the need for effective implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law and other relevant legal provisions,” the groups said.
As part of their advocacy, the groups announced plans to embark on a peaceful demonstration and advocacy visit to relevant police authorities in Imo State to demand justice for Chiamaka and stronger action against femicide.
They said the planned action would precede the 2026 global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, scheduled for November 25 to December 10.
The organisations insisted that Chiamaka’s death should not become another forgotten case, urging government and other stakeholders to move beyond public condemnations and take concrete steps to protect women and girls.
