BY OSAYANDE IDEHEN
Despite clear legal prohibitions and widespread international condemnation, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) continues to thrive in parts of Nigeria, especially in rural areas where cultural silence and weak law enforcement allow the practice to persist. This deeply harmful procedure, often justified as tradition, poses a serious threat to the health, dignity, and rights of millions of Nigerian girls and women.
Just recently, in a quiet community near Uromi in Edo State, a 13-year-old girl was rushed to a private clinic after suffering complications from a circumcision performed by an elderly woman, known locally as “the midwife of the ancestors.” The procedure, conducted without medical oversight, resulted in severe bleeding. Though the girl survived, no arrests were made, and the incident was neither reported nor investigated, yet another painful episode buried in silence.
Similar cases have occurred in Imo, Delta, Osun, and other states, where young girls have suffered and sometimes died from such procedures. One particularly tragic case in Ughelli North, Delta State, involved an eight-year-old girl who bled to death after being cut with a rusty blade by her aunt. Although these incidents often trigger temporary outrage on social media, very few result in legal action.
Nigeria has the highest number of FGM survivors in Africa, with over 20 million women and girls affected. The passage of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) in 2015 marked a significant step forward, but enforcement has remained largely ineffective. In Edo and other states, many cases are quietly settled by families or traditional institutions, which frequently defend the practice as a rite of passage or form of cultural purification.
One particularly disturbing case involved a family allegedly targeted by a secret cult group. According to reports, the group threatened to forcibly circumcise a young girl after her father refused to join them following the death of his own father, a former member. This incident, now part of an ongoing asylum claim abroad, highlights how cultural practices are sometimes weaponised for coercion and control. It also underscores a troubling pattern in which powerful groups exploit cultural norms and law enforcement gaps to intimidate vulnerable families.
Traditional leaders and cultural custodians must also be held accountable. In many Esan communities, FGM is still quietly practised and, in some cases, openly endorsed by traditional rulers. Their silence, or active complicity, continues to legitimise the practice and discourage victims from speaking out.
Law enforcement agencies have similarly fallen short. Since the VAPP Act was enacted, fewer than ten successful FGM-related prosecutions have been recorded across the country. In many police stations, such reports are dismissed as “family matters,” while survivors remain silent due to stigma and fear of reprisal.
The physical and psychological consequences of FGM are severe and long-lasting. Victims often suffer chronic infections, childbirth complications, increased risks of maternal and infant mortality, and long-term trauma, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The practice robs girls of their bodily autonomy and subjects them to pain and fear under the guise of cultural tradition.
Breaking this cycle requires a coordinated, multi-pronged response. Laws must be enforced decisively, with real consequences for perpetrators. Traditional rulers who support or shield FGM must be publicly identified and sanctioned. Awareness campaigns need to be rooted in local communities and culturally sensitive, while survivors must have access to comprehensive medical, psychological, and legal support.
FGM is not a form of cultural preservation, it is a grave human rights violation. Nigeria must draw a clear line between tradition and brutality. The time for action is now—before another girl is lost to silence.
