At least ten schoolgirls have reportedly undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) in Ebonyi State within the last month, sparking outrage among women’s rights advocates and child protection groups.
The revelation was made by Lucy Ogodo, founder of the Tomorrow is a Girl Initiative (TIG), who spoke at the Eke-Aba Police Station in Ebonyi Local Government Area, where one of the alleged practitioners, Aboke Uzoamaka, was detained after her arrest.
Aboke, a 26-year-old patent medicine dealer and mother of three, admitted to carrying out the illegal act on three secondary school girls from Ndiegu Okpoitumo community, Abakaliki Local Government Area.She claimed ignorance of the law banning FGM in Ebonyi State, stating that she learned the procedure from an elderly woman who circumcised her in 2010.
“I wasn’t aware that FGM is now a crime. I accepted to do it after much persuasion and collected ₦6,000 to circumcise the girls. I have signed an undertaking never to engage in it again,” Aboke said, adding that she has since begun sensitising other women on the dangers of the practice.
Ogodo, whose organisation has been at the forefront of campaigns to end FGM in Ebonyi, expressed concern that despite public declarations against the practice, it continues secretly in several rural communities.
“Many communities only hold public declarations to satisfy government requirements,” she explained.“But behind closed doors, the practice persists because most villagers have not been properly educated about its dangers.”
The Chief Programme Officer of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Ebonyi, Uchenna Umah, confirmed that the suspect was arrested after a community tip-off and later fined by her community. He added that the culprit and others involved have pledged to join awareness campaigns to end FGM in the state.
Umah emphasized the need for continuous community engagement, stressing that collaboration between traditional leaders, law enforcement agencies, and civil society organisations remains crucial to eradicating female genital mutilation in Nigeria.
Stay updated with Ebonyi News Network for real-time reports, in-depth analysis, and exclusive coverage of policies shaping Ebonyi State.