Emulate Lagos In Fight Against Gender-Based Violence, Group Urges Nigerian States
LAGOS, NIGERIA — The Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence (CAIDOV) has called on state governments across Nigeria to adopt the Lagos State blueprint in combating rape, domestic abuse, and sexual violence.
In a statement released in Ikeja, CAIDOV Executive Director Comrade Gbenga Soloki praised Lagos State as a national beacon of political will and institutional sincerity in addressing gender-based violence (GBV).
Soloki highlighted the state’s establishment of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), its active Sex Offenders Register, and the creation of specialized courts designed to fast-track trials and eliminate judicial delays.
“Lagos under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has demonstrated zero tolerance for these crimes,” Soloki stated, contrasting the state’s aggressive legal responses with areas of the country where sexual assault cases are frequently minimized or suppressed.
The advocacy group emphasized that replication of the “Lagos Model”—which integrates widespread public awareness campaigns in marketplaces and schools with close coordination between law enforcement and civil society—is vital to dismantling the culture of silence gripping many communities.
CAIDOV concluded its appeal by urging state assemblies nationwide to fully domesticate the Child Rights Act and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act to guarantee uniform protection for women and children across Nigeria.
