Hundreds of women from the Oyo-Iwa community in Kogi State took to the streets in a powerful half-naked protest on Monday, May 12, to demand urgent government action over the worsening state of insecurity in their area.
The demonstrators, many of them elderly, blocked the main access road into their community, brandishing placards with messages like “Our people are victims of repeated kidnappings” and “Oyo-Iwa is sidelined in development.”
The women said they were forced to strip in partial nudity — a culturally significant act of protest — to draw attention to the terror they face daily.
The protest follows a string of kidnappings and killings reportedly carried out by suspected bandits. Residents claim that many people have fled their ancestral homes out of fear, with the community on the verge of being abandoned entirely.
One incident that particularly enraged the community was the recent abduction of Princess Ruth Owonibi, a prominent figure in Oyo-Iwa. The women said her kidnapping is just one of many attacks that have left the community in fear and mourning.
“We no longer sleep with both eyes closed,” one protester said. “If nothing is done soon, we’ll be wiped out completely.”
The women issued a passionate appeal to both the federal and state governments, as well as to religious leaders and concerned citizens, urging them to intervene and restore peace to the area.
Their message was clear: the people of Oyo-Iwa are tired of living in fear, and they want their voices heard before more lives are lost.
