The fear of undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM), a deeply rooted cultural practice among some communities in Benin, Edo State, has reportedly driven a young girl, Olihor Precious, to flee her family home to an unknown destination.
Precious, vanished on March 25, 2016, shortly after telling her mother she was going to meet a friend at a nearby junction. She has not returned home since then, and her sudden disappearance has raised serious concerns among her family and the authorities.
According to her elder sister, Grace Olihor, the family has a history of performing genital mutilation on female children once they reach the age considered suitable for marriage. Grace revealed that two of her younger sisters, Blessing and Joy, had previously undergone the practice before their weddings, a tradition the family views as a rite of passage.
Narrating her last discussion with Precious, Grace said the conversation took place on the day of Blessing’s wedding. She recalled: “On the day of Blessing’s wedding, Precious asked me whether I was also mutilated before marriage, and I told her yes. She then asked if she could be exempted, and I told her no, that her case wouldn’t be different as one of the female children of our family.”
“She jokingly said she would rather run away than allowed to be mutilated. I laughed it off and warned her not to try it, explaining that it was for her own good, so she could conceive easily when she gets married.”
Unknown to the family, Precious may have taken that conversation seriously.
Her mother, Mrs. Olihor, told newsmen that she believed Precious had only stepped out briefly when she left the house.
“She said she wanted to meet a friend at the junction on March 25. We didn’t see her again. We thought she would return the same day, but when she didn’t come back, we became worried.”
According to the police, her friend later reported receiving a call from Precious on March 27, 2016. Hiding her phone number, Precious informed her friend that she had traveled to Lagos and had no plans of returning to Benin City because she doesn’t want her family to mutilate her as she is scared of complications to comes with mutilation.
Since that phone call, all attempts to reach Precious have failed, and the police have been unable to trace her location.
Benin police spokesperson confirmed the incident and said that investigations are ongoing.
“The number she used is not reachable. We are appealing to anyone with useful information about her whereabouts to report to the nearest police station. We are concerned about her safety and well-being,” the officer said.
This disturbing case sheds light on the continued practice of female genital mutilation in parts of Nigeria, despite growing awareness of its health risks and psychological impact. Human rights advocates have called for stronger enforcement of anti-FGM laws and deeper education within communities that still uphold the practice as a cultural obligation.
As for Olihor Precious, her family remains in anguish, torn between cultural tradition and the fear that their daughter may be lost to them forever, not just physically, but emotionally and culturally.