Nigeria declares state of emergency

LAGOS, Nigeria — Governors across Nigeria have declared a state of emergency over rape and other gender-based violence against women and children as officials said rapes have tripled during the country’s Coronavirus lockdown.

The commitment by governors of all 36 states to impose tougher measures against sex offenders was announced late Thursday after several days of nationwide protests by women’s rights activists and others with the social media hashtag #WeAreTired.

Officials did not say how many rapes have occurred during the lockdown that was declared in late March for major cities and has since begun to loosen.