Police Call For More Data, Advocacy on Femicide at FCID Lagos Lecture

Police Call For More Data, Advocacy on Femicide at FCID Lagos Lecture

The Nigerian Police Force through the Force Criminal Investigation Department FCID Annex in Alagbon Lagos has highlighted the urgent need for improved advocacy, data and actions against femicide especially in Lagos State.

The Force Pathologist, ACP (Dr.) Samuel Keshinro, made the plea on Tuesday October 29 while delivering a presentation titled “Measuring Gender-Related Killing of Women and Girls (Femicides) in Lagos State: Recommendations for Data Systems Improvements, Advocacy, and Action, at the inaugural AIG’s Lecture in the Forensic Hall of FCID Annex in Lagos.

The event was presided over by AIG Ayodele Ogundele and attended by officers and personnel from the FCID.

During the lecture, ACP Keshinro highlighted the critical need for comprehensive data collection to assess the scope of femicide, referencing the International Classification of Crime for Statistical Purposes (ICCS) developed by the UN.

He noted that the classification aims to enhance the consistency and comparability of crime statistics internationally.

Keshinro cited the Spotlight Initiative—a UN program aimed at ending violence against women and girls—indicating that one in three women experience sexual, physical, and psychological abuse, including trafficking and violence rooted in harmful social norms.

He emphasized that gender-based violence (GBV), particularly Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), predominantly affects women, perpetrated by intimate partners such as husbands and ex-boyfriends, leading to significant physical and psychological harm.

He added that the most severe manifestation of this violence is femicide, defined by the UN as the intentional killing of a woman or girl motivated by gender.

He also noted that the presentation served as both an awareness-raising and training programme aimed at bridging statistical gaps and establishing a robust framework for measuring femicides within the Nigeria Police Force and associated agencies as the initiative seeks to enhance policymaking in the fight against the horrific form of gender-based violence and provide comparable data for global reference.

In his reaction, AIG Ogundele applauded the speaker for his insightful presentation and urged detectives at the FCID Annex Lagos to apply the knowledge gained in their investigative work, emphasizing the importance of intelligence-led policing especially on gender related crimes.