From cultural beliefs and bride price entitlement to fears of diminished masculinity and reduced sexual pleasure, many Nigerian husbands reject condoms and vasectomy, leaving their wives to bear the burden of family planning alone. JANET OGUNDEPO reports

When the side effects of several contraceptives she used became too much to bear, a middle-aged mother of four, Amara Nwobi, summoned courage and walked into a registered pharmacy in the Somolu area of Lagos State.

Her goal was to enquire about contraceptive methods she could use to prevent another pregnancy.

As she interacted with the healthcare worker, our correspondent observed that Nwobi was quite knowledgeable about the several planning methods.

Whenever a method was mentioned, she’ll respond, “I don use that one before, I dey react to am.” This means that she has tried several methods and had reactions such as irregular menstruation, constant headaches and bloating.

As she left the pharmacy determined to go to the family planning unit of the Primary Healthcare Centre in her area for further counselling, our correspondent approached her to ask a few questions to which she obliged.

The mother of four explained, “Despite all these reactions I have, my husband will never agree to use a condom.

“He’ll say, ‘After I paid my wife’s bride price in full, I can’t use the condom with my wife. If I use it with her, what should I then use with ‘Olosho’?”

When asked if she had explained her reactions to the methods, Nwobi said her husband told her to enquire about other methods with the hope that one would be perfect for her.

Why would I use a condom with my wife?

Several married men interviewed by PUNCH Healthwise on their views about contraceptive use, especially the barrier method, condom, explained reasons for their reluctance.

A Lagos-based Software Engineer, identified only as Mahatma, said, “Condoms sometimes feel like an emotional barricade for men who prefer to have the skin-to-skin contact.”

The father of one noted that since he doesn’t need to protect himself from sexually transmitted infections, there was no need for him to use a condom with his wife.

Mahatma, however, was open to using other available, safe and reversible male contraceptives if his wife reacted to the available methods for females.

While the software engineer declined to undergo a vasectomy, he believes family planning “should be a shared responsibility but can’t be equal as it is mainly to protect the woman.”

For a print media practitioner and father of three, Ojonrewaju Lanre, he can only use a condom with his wife “for her health’s sake.”

He further explained, “I think it is cultural and religious. Culturally, it is against our belief system that a husband is using a condom with his wife. In my 13 years of holy matrimony, I have never used a condom with my wife. On a religious basis, my faith is against any artificial contraception. Condom is one of them.

“Bride price or no bride price, once you are married you have to consummate your union. Why use a condom? I use the withdrawal method.”

The father of three vehemently refused vasectomy, saying, “Not in this era of high rate of paternity issues. Once a man is considered not virile, then what’s the use of his masculinity? Psychologically, both partners will have insecurity and infidelity issues.”

Men feel safe with wives, so why condom?

A Lagos-based father of one, Oluwamuyiwa Oyedele, believes that most married people feel safe with their wives, “believing the wives know when it is safe for them to be impregnated. And many also enjoy having it raw with their wives, believing it’s a safe place for them.”

He, however, noted that paying his wife’s bride price doesn’t give him the right to have sex without a condom, stating that his wife’s comfort during the sexual activity was important to him.

Oyedele says he’s comfortable with condom use and couples should both be involved in contraceptive use.

A Client Relationship Manager, Odedeyi Williams, believes that men enjoy sex “raw,” stating that for the prevention of pregnancy, men can use the withdrawal method.

While the Abuja-based husband says he is only comfortable with the male barrier method of contraception, condoms, and likes the idea of male contraceptives, he believes family planning is “basically for women; men don’t have a womb.”

Williams further says he will participate in family planning to avoid unintended pregnancy.

PUNCH Healthwise earlier reported that despite the push for increased uptake of family planning services to regulate the country’s explosive population growth, some Nigerian men have vowed not to embrace vasectomy, a form of male birth control method.

The report showed that men are worried a lot about whether their testosterone levels and libido would drop, while some are particularly worried that they could suffer from erectile dysfunction after undergoing vasectomy.

Globally available and approved modern contraceptives for men are condoms and vasectomies. In some countries, spermicides are available, and research is ongoing to develop non-hormonal male contraceptive pills and gels.

PUNCH Healthwise spoke to some women who confirmed that their husbands do not use or agree to the use of male contraceptives and have allowed them to use whichever modern contraceptive was effective for them.

These women pray that someday, “better contraceptives for the men will be available so they can also be involved in the family planning process.”

Contraceptives don’t reduce men’s dignity– Urologists

Commenting on the matter, a urologist and President of the Association of Urological Surgeons, Nigeria, Prof Nuhu Dakum, said many men refuse to use condoms because it denies them the natural sensation they ought to enjoy during sex.

“Many men feel the natural sensation is dulled when they use a condom, so they do not want to use it. Many may also feel the insistence of a partner that they use a condom may be an indirect way of saying they are not trusted, thus casting doubts on their faithfulness,” he said.

He further noted that misconceptions such as “condoms are meant for unfaithful partners or those infected” prevent the uptake of the contraceptive method.

The don stated that many men also think that vasectomy or other ways of contraception are only for women.

Dakum further explained that condoms and vasectomy are “the two main contraceptive methods,” stating that “male pills are not fully developed, and spermicides as methods of male contraception are not popular.”

On the health consequences that may arise when family planning responsibility is placed almost entirely on women, the consultant urologist said, “The consequences may be the side effects of the female contraceptives on the women.”

He stated that health education of men and involving them during family planning counselling with their wives on contraception would further help to increase male adoption of contraceptives.

On his message to Nigerian men who believe that using condoms with their wives or undergoing vasectomy diminishes their manhood or their rights as husbands, Dakum said, “This is a misconception. No man’s dignity is reduced because he uses any contraception. It would reduce the burden on the women if men also get involved in contraception.   Men are advised to get educated on the methods available and discuss with their doctors so they make informed choices on the appropriate method for them,” he said.

In an earlier interview with PUNCH Healthwise, a professor of Urology and Consultant Urological Surgeon at the University of Abuja and the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Oseremen Aisuodionoe-Shadrach, noted that the slow adoption of contraception among males was due to cultural beliefs, adding that it could be difficult to change the perceptions and mindsets.

The Reconstructive Urologist explained that the reluctance towards vasectomy is largely due to the surgical nature of the procedure and the psychological impact of “stopping their capacity to reproduce.”

He added, “Not many men will do a vasectomy. Not many men will even use condoms, as simple as it is, because they feel it is the woman who should routinely use contraception. Most of these things stem from cultural beliefs and are not psychological.

“First, because men think that it is women who should use contraception. You know, they think, culturally, it is the woman who gives birth. So, if you don’t want to give birth or want to space childbirth, you should use contraceptives.

“So, I think that it is just a cultural way because that was how it was devised from the beginning, and that was why female contraception started early.

“It was like, if we can get female contraception, then there will be no conception. So, of course, the introduction of barrier methods using condoms is not necessarily for male contraception, but for the prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections, really.

“So in a logical sense, you would say that female contraception started with a cultural bias that since it is the woman who gives birth, then prevent that conception in the same woman.”

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The mystery surrounding the death of Mary Habila, a nurse attached to the office of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, deepened on Friday as legal advice revealed that authorities were still seeking answers to the circumstances surrounding her sudden demise.

While Habila’s family intensified its demand for the release of her remains for burial, the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice advised that a post-mortem examination was necessary to determine the cause of death.

The ministry stated that available evidence did not indicate that she was suffering from any health challenge before the incident.

The development came as the police began inviting persons considered relevant to the investigation, including those who may have information about the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death.

However, the family has continued to oppose an autopsy, citing cultural and personal reasons and insisting that their immediate concern is to recover her remains and perform her burial rites.

The disagreement between the family and investigators has now placed the case at a critical point, with the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, expected to intervene following a formal petition submitted by the family on Friday.

Habila, a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, Ebonyi State, died on June 27, 2026, at a private residence linked to the minister.

Her death generated public interest after reports emerged about the circumstances under which she was found, prompting police investigations and the detention of her remains.

Family petitions IG

The family, through its lawyer, K.A. Yusuf, on Friday petitioned the IG, accusing the Ebonyi State Police Command of unlawfully withholding Habila’s corpse weeks after her death.

The petition, titled, “Complaint Against the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State, for the Unlawful Refusal to Release the Corpse of Late Mary Habila for Burial,” was submitted at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The family argued that it had fulfilled all requirements demanded by the police and had repeatedly requested the release of the body but was unsuccessful.

Yusuf said the continued custody of the remains had caused emotional and psychological distress to the family and prevented them from carrying out traditional and religious burial obligations.

“The prolonged withholding of our client’s daughter’s remains has caused our client and his family immense emotional, psychological, financial and cultural hardship.

“Our client’s family has been denied the opportunity to perform the customary and religious burial rites to which every deceased person is entitled,” the petition stated.

The lawyer urged the IG to take over the matter from the Ebonyi State Police Command, direct the immediate release of the corpse and investigate any officer found to have acted unlawfully.

Speaking after submitting the petition, Habila’s father, Wisdom, said the family’s position remained unchanged.

He said his only request was to take his daughter home and bury her.

“All that I want is the body of my daughter. We don’t keep the body of a little child for this long just like this.

“That is why I am here to say it once again and for all. I need the corpse of my daughter to take her for burial. That is what I am standing on,” Wisdom said.

Asked why the family was against an autopsy despite the police insisting that it would help unravel the circumstances surrounding her death, the grieving father said they had made their decision.

“I don’t want the autopsy. That is why I am demanding the release of the corpse of my daughter to go and bury her now,” he stated.

However, the father clarified that the family was not accusing anyone of causing Habila’s death.

“I am not suspecting anybody because death can occur. Even as we are standing here, one can fall here now and die. It has happened. So, we are not suspecting anybody,” he added.

Habila healthy before death – DPP

The family’s demand came against the backdrop of a legal opinion from the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice, which raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the nurse’s death.

The document, obtained by Saturday PUNCH, stated that Habila was healthy before she arrived in Uburu on June 26.

The legal advice, dated July 15, 2026, was signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, J.U. Chukwu, and addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department, Ebonyi State.

Titled, ‘The DPP’s Legal Advice in Re: Case of Sudden Death and Unnatural Death of Mary Habila with case file no. Cr: 578/2026,” the document supported the police recommendation for a post-mortem examination.

According to the DPP, establishing the immediate and remote causes of Habila’s death was essential to the investigation.

The advice stated, “There was no evidence that the deceased was sick or unstable health-wise prior to her sudden death, as she was full of life at the time she returned to Uburu in the company of her team.”

The document further stated that available evidence showed that Habila was alone in her apartment when she was found lifeless.

It added that she was found unclothed, with bloodstains around her nose and mouth.

The DPP noted that the circumstances surrounding the discovery of her body created the need for further investigation.

“From the foregoing, the question that would readily come to mind is what exactly caused the deceased’s sudden death? This curiosity under the law can only be resolved through a post-mortem examination, so as to provide a clue to the police as to the direction of their investigation,” the advice stated.

The ministry, however, acknowledged that the police had the discretion to either respect the family’s request or proceed with an autopsy.

“It is therefore the view of this office that the police invoke their discretionary power to either respect the request of the deceased’s family or proceed with the post-mortem examination,” it added.

Police invite suspects

Saturday PUNCH gathered on Friday that the police had commenced interviews with persons considered relevant to the investigation.

A senior police source confirmed that individuals connected to the incident had been invited to provide statements.

“They have been invited by the police to make statements. That’s how it’s done, and we can’t do otherwise here.

“If you call it an arrest, fine; if you call it an invitation, that’s also fine. But we invited all of them, and they have all made their statements,” the source said.

The source declined to provide details of the statements obtained, saying investigators were still working on the matter.

A senior official of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the government was committed to ensuring a transparent investigation.

The official said the process would be allowed to run its course without interference.

However, the minister’s media aide, Nwaeze Francis, said he was not aware that Umahi had received any invitation from the police.

“As I speak with you, I have no information about any invitation or letter from the police to the minister. I have no information at all,” he said.

Umahi denies wrongdoing

The minister, who broke his silence on the matter on Thursday, said he suspected no foul play and described attempts to link him to the incident as “politics taken too far.”

Umahi said Habila was like a daughter to him and had worked closely with him for several years.

He disclosed that the deceased had a history of medical challenges and that he personally supported her treatment.

The minister also revealed that Habila complained of bleeding from her nose during a telephone conversation with her boyfriend shortly before she was found dead.

He maintained that there was no evidence of foul play.

Family defends Habila’s identity

Meanwhile, the family’s lawyer moved to correct what he described as misinformation about Habila’s identity and professional background.

Yusuf said the deceased was a nurse and not a physiotherapist.

“It is important to clear some grey areas, especially areas where false allegations have been propagated about her person and character.

“Late Mary Habila was not a physiotherapist. She was a nurse and was employed by the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, before she was seconded to the office of the minister,” he said.

According to him, Habila had worked in the minister’s office for about three years and remained a civil servant.

He said the family had documents, including her appointment letter and payslips, to establish her employment status.

The lawyer also criticised what he described as attempts to damage the reputation of the deceased after her death.

He said Habila deserved dignity and respect.

A colleague of the deceased, Anita Baaki, who attended the family’s briefing, equally dismissed reports suggesting that she and Habila were newly recruited into the minister’s office.

“We were not transported in any vehicle. We were colleagues and I have been working for a very long time. We have been working under the minister for about three years,” she said.

Baaki clarified that Habila was the nurse while she was the physiotherapist.

“She is a nurse. I am the physiotherapist here. The reports that she was a physiotherapist are not correct,” she added.

Calls for probe, resignation

The incident has attracted political reactions, with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar calling on President Bola Tinubu to suspend Umahi pending a transparent investigation.

Atiku argued that the investigation should not be handled solely by authorities in Ebonyi State because of the minister’s political influence.

Several groups have also called for a thorough investigation.

However, a faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo opposed calls for Umahi’s resignation, describing them as premature.

In a statement signed by its Deputy President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group said no person should be punished before investigations were concluded.

It described the calls as politically motivated and urged that due process be respected.

The group also criticised what it called selective outrage, referring to previous cases of killings, questioning why political leaders who did not demand similar actions in those instances were now calling for sanctions.

According to the group, investigations should be allowed to proceed without political interference.

Similarly, the minister’s kinsmen under the Rulers Council warned against politicising the incident.

In a statement signed by their spokesperson, Nicholas Odi, they urged investigators to conduct an impartial inquiry based on evidence, professionalism and the outcome of any independent examination.

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An old interview of the 20-year-old woman Favour Agbro, who was allegedly raped by a Delta-based content creator and died has resurfaced on social media, showing her speaking about her decision to remain a virgin until marriage.

The interview, conducted in Asaba by content creator Itz Patorchizzy, was reshared on Facebook on Thursday following reports of her death.

Sharing the clip, the interviewer said he initially doubted the young woman’s claim that she was still a virgin.

In the interview, the deceased disclosed that she did not have a boyfriend.

When asked if she had a boyfriend, she replied, “No.”

Asked why she was single, the 20-year-old responded, “Nothing, I just don’t have any.”

The interviewer then asked about her body count, to which she replied, “None.”

When asked if she was a virgin, she answered, “Yes.”

The interviewer also asked her age, and she replied, “I’m going to 21.”

Speaking about relationships, she said she was looking for a boyfriend but wanted someone willing to wait until marriage before having sex.

“I’m looking for a boyfriend, but it’s not really easy. It will be someone that is ready to wait till marriage,” she said.

The interviewer then asked if she intended to preserve her virginity until marriage, and she responded in the affirmative.

The resurfaced interview has since generated widespread reactions online, with many users expressing sadness over the contrast between her public aspirations and the circumstances surrounding her death.

WATCH VIDEO HERE

The video resurfaced a day after the Delta State Police Command announced the arrest of a popular content creator, Ifeanyi Ogbonna, popularly known as “Odogwu of Asaba,” over the alleged rape of the 20-year-old woman, who later died.

The command disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday signed by its spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe.

According to the statement, the arrest followed a petition alleging that the deceased travelled to Asaba on June 1, 2026, after the suspect invited her with a promise to train her in content creation.

The police alleged that after the woman arrived in Asaba, the suspect took her to a hotel where he raped and assaulted her.

“Upon her arrival in Asaba, the suspect allegedly took her to a hotel, where he allegedly raped her and subjected her to physical violence. She later returned home visibly distressed and disclosed the incident to her parents,” the statement read.

The command further stated that the deceased later recorded a video detailing her experience and the emotional trauma she allegedly suffered.

“In the aftermath of the alleged assault, the deceased made a video recording in which she recounted her experience and the emotional distress she suffered following the incident. She subsequently committed suicide by ingesting a toxic substance and later died despite efforts to save her life,” the police added.

The Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Yemi Oyeniyi, directed the Area Command in Effurun to immediately investigate the allegations after receiving the petition.

Police said investigations led to the arrest of Ogbonna, who reportedly made useful statements during preliminary interrogation, adding that investigations were ongoing.

The command assured the deceased’s family and members of the public that a thorough investigation would be carried out and that anyone found culpable would face the full weight of the law.

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