15/09/2026
I am deeply concerned by the reports emerging since the horrific r**e and murder of Merissa Auguste on Friday, including several young women reportedly missing and unverified accounts of attempted kidnappings and further sexual assaults.
Unverified information must not be presented as fact or used to create panic. But the growing fear among our women, girls and families cannot simply be ignored. The authorities must urgently investigate every report, provide clear and timely public updates and take visible steps to reassure and protect our communities.
This is a moment for vigilance, truth and collective action. Protecting our women and girls is not solely the responsibility of women, it is a national duty that belongs to every one of us.
A nation in which women are afraid to walk freely and parents fear whether their daughters will return home safely, cannot call itself secure. We must not wait for another woman to be attacked, another girl to disappear or another family to be shattered before we act.
The safety of our women and girls must become a national emergency, not tomorrow, not after another tragedy, but now🙏🏼
