ABEOKUTA— THE Ogun State government, yesterday, disclosed that it has recorded no fewer than 502 cases of Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in 11 months.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye, who disclosed during an interview shortly after an advocacy walk held in Abeokuta, in commemoration of the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against GBV, said the figure underscores the alarming and deepening crisis affecting women, girls and vulnerable persons.
She said out of the 502 cases, 120 were reported at the State’s Sexual Assault Referral Centres, SARCs, while the remaining cases were documented through area offices and partner organisations.
She stated that the rising cases, including sexual assault, domestic abuse, child molestation, digital harassment and intimate partner violence, underscored the urgent need for stronger legal safeguards and coordinated institutional action from all stakeholders to protect survivors and hold perpetrators more accountable.
Adeleye described the figures as “deeply troubling,” stressing that they capture only the portion of cases that reached government channels, as many women and children remain silent out of fear, stigmatisation, or social pressure.
The Commissioner explained that the rise in cases reflects both the persistence of violence and the growing willingness of survivors to seek help due to improved reporting systems.
VANGUARD.
