Who Will Protect Our Daughters?

By Lemmy Ughegbe, Ph.D

Nigeria should never become a country where parents fear the simple act of saying goodbye to their daughters.
Yet that is precisely where we seem to be headed.

Within a short period, the nation has been shaken by reports of young women who left home with dreams, hopes and plans, only to have their lives cut short in circumstances that have left families devastated. The reported killings of Abuja lawyer Princess Chigbo Mediatrix and nurse Chinemerem Pascalina Chuwumeziem, allegedly linked to “one chance” criminals, reignited public outrage. Elsewhere across the country, other women have reportedly been raped, murdered by intimate partners, lured into fatal encounters or abducted by criminal gangs.

Each case has its own facts. Each deserves a thorough, impartial and professional investigation. Yet together, they tell a deeply troubling story. ButA pattern is emerging, and we ignore it at our peril.

There was a time when a parent’s greatest aspiration was simply to see his daughter succeed. To watch her graduate, build a career, marry if she so chose, raise a family and fulfil her potential.

Today, many parents have added another prayer. “Lord, let her return home safely.”
That silent prayer says more about the state of our nation than many official reports ever could.

Across Nigeria, countless families now watch their daughters leave home with quiet anxiety. Whether they are going to school, work, church, the market or visiting friends, every farewell increasingly carries an unspoken question:

Will she come back?
Sadly, that fear is no longer irrational.
Our daughters are navigating a society where ordinary decisions can carry extraordinary risks. Accepting a lift. Ordering a ride. Meeting someone they trust. Returning home from work. Going on a date.Travelling alone. None of these should be life threatening. Yet, for too many young women, they have become exactly that.

This is not an indictment of men. The overwhelming majority of Nigerian men are responsible, decent and law abiding citizens who love, respect and protect the women in their lives. But a civilised society is judged not only by the conduct of its decent majority. It is judged by how effectively it restrains its dangerous minority.

Perhaps what is even more disturbing is our response whenever tragedy strikes.
Too often, attention shifts from the perpetrator to the victim. Why did she go there? Why did she trust him? Why was she out at that hour?

Those questions may arise during an investigation, but they should never become excuses for criminal conduct.
The responsibility for rape, murder, abduction or assault rests squarely with the offender.vNo woman invites violence simply by existing.

One uncomfortable question, however, remains. Why are we witnessing these tragedies with such disturbing frequency? There is no single answer.

Economic hardship has fuelled organised criminality. Social media has made deception easier. Some communities have become less willing to intervene when warning signs appear. Our criminal justice system is often too slow to deter offenders, while distorted notions of masculinity continue to produce men who confuse domination with love and violence with strength.
None of these factors excuses criminal behaviour.

Together, however, they help explain why the problem has become more urgent.
Government, however, bears the greatest responsibility. Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provides that:
“The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”

Those words are not ceremonial.They impose a constitutional obligation.
No government can prevent every crime.
But every government has a duty to reduce vulnerability, dismantle criminal networks, strengthen intelligence gathering, improve forensic investigations, secure public transportation, prosecute offenders swiftly and reassure citizens that the law stands firmly with the innocent.

Justice delayed does more than disappoint victims. It emboldens future criminals.

Parents, too, have responsibilities. We must continue to raise daughters with confidence and sons with character.
Schools must strengthen safeguarding measures. Religious institutions must continue to teach the sanctity of human life. Community leaders must refuse to normalise violence. The media must report responsibly. And men of goodwill must become active partners in rejecting violence against women wherever they encounter it.

Protecting our daughters is not a women’s issue. It is a constitutional imperative. It is a moral obligation. It is a national responsibility.

Every society is ultimately remembered for something. Some are remembered for the wars they fought. Others for the prosperity they created. Others for the democratic institutions they built.

But history reserves its greatest respect for societies that protected their most vulnerable. Nigeria cannot honestly describe itself as secure while parents continue to whisper silent prayers each time their daughters leave home.

The true measure of national security is not how effectively a nation protects its borders. It is how safely its daughters can live within them.

Until every Nigerian girl can board a vehicle without fear, pursue her education without intimidation, build relationships without manipulation and return home without becoming another tragic headline, our constitutional promise remains only partially fulfilled.

Who, then, will protect our daughters?
Government must. Families must.
Communities must. Men must. Indeed, every one of us must. Because every daughter we fail to protect diminishes us as a nation. And every daughter we keep safe strengthens the future we all hope to build.

Dr Lemmy Ughegbe, FIMC, CMC
Email: lemmyughegbeofficial@gmail.com
WhatsApp ONLY: +2348069716645