As Nigeria slides into the vibrant whirl of the 2025 festive season, popularly branded “Detty December,” celebrations, tourism, and booming nightlife are again taking centre stage. But beneath the music, lights, and revelry lies a recurring shadow, a troubling rise in violence, abuse, trafficking, and security threats, particularly targeting women, young girls, and children.
Raising a powerful voice against this dangerous pattern, Barr. Folashade Mariam Anifowoshe, a legal luminary, YeyeMofin of Ilara Kingdom, and newly minted PhD holder of Lagos State University, has called for an urgent shift from reactive mourning to deliberate, coordinated prevention.
Responding to an interview on safeguarding vulnerable groups during the festive season, Barr. Anifowoshe stressed that protection must be multi-layered, collective, and intentional, cutting across government, traditional institutions, religious bodies, communities, families, and individuals.
According to her, government and law enforcement agencies must move beyond ceremonial assurances to visible action. She advocated sustained high-visibility security patrols in known hotspots such as concert venues, parks, nightlife districts, and transport hubs, aligning with national security advisories. Equally critical, she noted, is the strict enforcement of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, insisting that swift investigation and prosecution of gender-based violence cases will serve as a powerful deterrent.
Barr. Anifowoshe also drew attention to the growing digital dimension of violence, warning that cyberstalking, online harassment, and image-based abuse often precede physical harm. She urged cybercrime units to proactively monitor and respond to digital threats, rather than waiting for tragedies to occur.
Turning to traditional and religious institutions, she described the pulpit and palace as “first lines of protection.” Religious leaders, she said, must openly condemn exploitation, abuse, and the permissive “use-and-dump” culture that often thrives during festive excesses. Traditional rulers, on their part, were encouraged to designate palaces, town halls, and community centres as safe havens where women and children facing threats can seek immediate refuge without fear, stigma, or interrogation.
She was particularly firm on ending the culture of silence around sexual violence. “Abuse must never be settled within families or communities,” she warned, insisting that perpetrators must be handed over to law enforcement rather than shielded by prayers, apologies, or informal settlements.
At the grassroots, Barr. Anifowoshe emphasised the role of communities and families in prevention. She called for strengthened neighbourhood watch systems, buddy arrangements around event centres, and safer late-night transit routes. Parents and guardians, she added, must embrace open, trust-based communication with children, including knowing their whereabouts, their company, and establishing emergency code words that can save lives.
Beyond institutions, the legal scholar underscored that systemic protection collapses without personal leadership and accountability. She described active bystander intervention as a moral duty, urging citizens to speak up, intervene, or seek help when they witness harassment, abuse, or distress. Challenging predatory jokes, toxic peer behaviour, and normalised violence, she said, is part of everyday leadership.
On personal safety, Barr. Anifowoshe noted that while responsibility should never rest solely on potential victims, situational awareness remains vital. She advised the use of technology such as live location sharing, collective care among friends, and ensuring that intoxicated or vulnerable individuals are never abandoned.
She warned that festive-season violence persists where consequences are weak or absent. “Detty December is not a lawless season,” she asserted, stressing that holding individuals, especially influential figures, accountable sends a clear message that celebration must never come at the cost of human dignity or life.
She also reminded the public that anyone in immediate danger, or with information on trafficking or abduction, can report through the NAPTIP short code or contact the nearest FIDA Nigeria office for urgent legal and protective support.
