Niger Delta Weekly Update for November 21-27, 2021

This special edition of the weekly update highlights emerging trends and drivers of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the Niger Delta. According to data (see map below), more than 600 incidents of violence affecting women and girls were reported in the Niger Delta between January 2020 and September 2021. Recent incidents indicate new trends of VAWG including sexual violation of children, illegal breeding and selling of babies, and targeted killing of women and girls to harvest their vital organs and other body parts for trafficking and ritual purposes. In July 2020, for instance, a 3-year old girl was reportedly raped by a 23-year old man in Akpata community, Ondo State. Separately, in July 2020, the police reportedly arrested three pregnant teenagers, three babies and their mothers, and a couple who bought two babies from an illegal maternity home in Rumuolumeni community, Rivers State. In March 2021, a 39-year old woman was reportedly abducted from her farm and killed by suspected human body parts dealers in Obiaruku town, Delta State. Her vital organs and other body parts were allegedly harvested.