Two teenage girls have mysteriously lost their lives after undergoing Female Genital Mutilation (Bondo) in two villages in the Kambia district.

Salamatu Jalloh, age 13 from Kabailor village and Kadiatu Bangura age 7 from Bubuya village, tragically passed away following the initiation process.

The actual cause of death for the teenagers is yet to be proven through a postmortem report.

However, some of the Soweis and family members who consented for their children to be initiated are currently in police custody as investigations proceed.

Reports say the late Salamatu Jalloh who died after the cutting, was among eight girls initiated and are still trapped in the bush in the Kabailor village.

The late teenager was initiated together with the other girls on Sunday 14th January, 2024 and passed away the following day after complaining severe stomach pain.

The late Kadiatu Bangura age 17 was from Bubuya village. Joseph Sowa, an NGO representative said Kadiatu was also initiated together with five others.

He said she died some days after they have been unveiled in the community, adding that their NGO is closely working with the police and monitoring the investigations to ensure justice for the deceased persons.

Assata Kamara, Founder of Women Yearning for Equal Rights, a local NGO said contrary to some other views, more sensitisations have been done on FGM in the communities.

She said lots of NGO have been engaging in robust sensitisations against harmful practices and that individuals like Rugiatu Neneh have also been embarking on lot of sensitisations on FGM in the communities.

She said following the community engagements, monies were disbursed to most of the Soweis for them to startup businesses and stop the harmful practice.

Assata went on that the Soweis were even advised to maintain the culture of training the girls in the bushes instead of cutting them.

Police Spokesperson at the Kambia district, Claudius Moses Gray expressed disappointment over the sad development and the loss of the girls’ lives.

He assured that every effort would be made to ensure justice prevails, nothing that they are eagerly awaiting the postmortem report of both Salamatu Jalloh and Kadiatu Bangura before making their final judgment.