Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (PHOTO CREDIT: Lagos state government) At least 10,613 children in Lagos State suffered emotional abuse after witnessing domestic violence in their homes over the past five years, the state government has said. In a statement on Monday, the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, made this disclosure at a press comference to mark the commencement of the 2026 Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month.
Mr Pedro, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), stated that the children were not necessarily the direct targets of the violence but were affected by what they witnessed at home. “These children may not have been direct targets of the violence, but exposure to violence can leave deep emotional scars,” he said.
He stressed that the figures underscored the need to consider the wider impact of domestic violence, particularly on children who witness abuse between family members. Data presented by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency showed that 33,009 cases of domestic and sexual violence were reported between September 2021 and July 2026.
The agency also recorded 1,171 cases of defilement, 797 cases of child abuse and physical assault, 420 rape cases, 428 cases of sexual harassment and 100 cases of sexual assault by penetration. Other reports included 323 threats to life, 79 attempted rape cases and 95 cases of technology-facilitated sexual and gender-based violence involving adults and minors. The agency further recorded 1,861 family-related disputes involving custody, neglect, abduction and child labour. Reported cases rose from 1,075 between September and December 2021 to 5,929 in 2022, 6,389 in 2023 and 7,882 in 2024.
Mr Pedro cautioned that the decline in reported cases should not automatically be interpreted as a reduction in the actual prevalence of violence. He explained that