"No More Silence": Jos Women Smash Bottles, Drugs in Protest Against Domestic Violence

 

JOS, Plateau State— Women in the Farin Lamba area of southern Jos staged a protest on Tuesday, destroying bottles of alcohol and packets of illicit drugs to denounce the impact of substance abuse on families and households.

The protesters said their husbands and sons frequently consume alcohol and drugs, leading to incidents of wife-beating and neglect of family responsibilities. They cited a rise in domestic violence and cases of children going without food as the driving force behind the demonstration.

“We can no longer remain silent while our homes are being destroyed,” one of the protesters said. “Our men drink and get high, then turn on us and abandon their children.”

Residents of Farin Lamba say substance abuse has increased in the area in recent months, contributing to strained family relationships and economic hardship. Many women and children, they added, have been left to bear the consequences.

During the protest, the women smashed kegs, bottles, and drug packs on the street as a symbolic act of rejection and a call for community action.

Local leaders have not yet issued an official response. Authorities in Plateau State have in recent years identified substance abuse as a growing public health and security concern in parts of Jos and its environs.