The Ogun State Government says it documented 502 cases of gender-based violence between January and November 2025, a figure officials describe as deeply troubling and reflective of a worsening crisis affecting women, girls, and vulnerable groups.
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye, disclosed the statistics on Tuesday during a press briefing in Abeokuta, held shortly after an advocacy walk led by the First Lady, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, to mark the end of the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
Adeleye said the cases ranged from sexual assault and domestic abuse to child molestation, intimate partner violence, and digital harassment. She added that only two convictions were secured over the period, while 28 cases are currently before the courts.
She explained that 120 incidents were reported at the state’s Sexual Assault Referral Centres, with the remaining cases documented through area offices and partner organisations. However, she warned that the official figures represent only a fraction of actual incidents, as many survivors remain silent due to fear, stigma, or social pressure.
“The rise in cases reflects both the persistence of violence and the growing willingness of survivors to seek help due to improved reporting systems,” she said.
Adeleye raised concern over a sharp increase in technology-enabled abuse—such as cyberbullying, sextortion, impersonation, and online grooming—warning that digital platforms have become new avenues for perpetrators to target victims anonymously.
She highlighted ongoing interventions by the state in partnership with the State Economic Transformation Project and the UN Population Fund, noting improvements in Sexual Assault Referral Centres, expanded sensitisation campaigns, and capacity-building programmes for law enforcement officers, teachers, and health workers on digital safety and GBV response.
Despite these efforts, the Commissioner identified major obstacles, including slow judicial processes, family interference, inadequate funding for survivor services, and weak inter-agency coordination. She called for the establishment of special GBV courts, stronger whistleblower protection, safe termination options for survivors of rape and incest, and the classification of rape as a non-bailable offence.
Adeleye urged parents, community leaders, schools, and digital platforms to take more responsibility for safeguarding young people, and encouraged men to support efforts to challenge harmful social norms.
Following the advocacy walk, First Lady Bamidele Abiodun and Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele reiterated the call for stricter penalties for sexual offenders to curb rising cases.
Gender-based violence remains widespread across Nigeria, with many cases unreported and systemic barriers continuing to hinder justice for survivors. The annual 16-day global campaign seeks to mobilise collective action toward eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls.
