No fewer than 120 individuals were convicted for various sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) offences in Lagos State between January and December 2024, according to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA).
The DSVA disclosed this exclusively to News Review on Thursday, revealing that the state recorded 9,279 cases of domestic violence during the same period.
The report further highlighted that at least 3,215 children suffered different forms of abuse in 2024, with most perpetrators identified as relatives or people known to the victims.
In response, the DSVA said the state government is adopting a preventive, technology-driven approach to curb the rising trend. Despite this, human rights advocates insist that more needs to be done to protect vulnerable groups and support survivors.
Activists also expressed concern that the actual scale of abuse might be higher, citing stigma, fear, and lack of trust in the justice system as reasons victims hesitate to report cases.
When asked about convictions within the period, DSVA Executive Secretary Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi said the state had made progress in prosecuting offenders. “In the last year, the Lagos State Government secured more than 120 convictions for sexual and gender-based violence,” she stated, noting that sentences ranged from life imprisonment to 65-year jail terms.
Ololade Ajayi, founder of DOHS Cares Foundation and curator of the Femicide Report, called on the Nigeria Police and law enforcement agencies to actively support the fight against SGBV.
“We should ask the right questions: Why are the police frustrating this? Is it corruption? Are they insensitive? Is it the lack of funding for the police? And then fix it,” she said.
Ajayi also criticized the slow pace of justice in rape and assault cases, questioning the government’s efforts in supporting survivors.
“Why is the rape trial process so lengthy? What has the government put in place to support survivors? What might discourage them from speaking up or seeking justice?” she asked.
Follow News Review on Facebook and X
 offences in Lagos State between January and December 2024, according to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA).){kind=link}