Lagos: Police arrest 114 suspects for defilement, 24 for sexual assault in 2025

The Gender Unit of the Lagos State Police Command has apprehended 114 suspects over cases of defilement and arrested an additional 24 individuals for sexual assault by penetration between January 1 and December 1, 2025.

Official records reviewed indicate that the unit handled 18 cases within the period, all of which have been concluded and forwarded to court for prosecution.

The Gender Unit is currently led by the Officer Commanding, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, Oluwatoyin Kazeem.

The data also show that one suspect was arrested in connection with human trafficking, three others for child abuse, and two for child stealing.

Also, 14 cases of domestic violence were documented, while 10 suspects were arrested over rape allegations.

Other reported incidents during the review period include two arrests linked to threats to life, one case involving a missing child, and three suspects arrested for failure to provide adequate care.

The unit also recorded 17 arrests for assault, three for indecent treatment of children, one for causing grievous harm, and two cases relating to denial of access.

Commenting on the figures, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Command, Abimbola Adebisi, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combat all forms of gender-based violence and ensure accountability for offenders.

She explained that the Gender Unit operates as a specialised department where cases are investigated by trained officers in strict adherence to standard operating procedures tailored to the sensitive nature of such offences.

According to her, the unit remains focused on securing justice for survivors and upholding professional policing standards rooted in the law, ethics, and respect for human dignity, while consistently promoting peace and public safety across the state.