Sanwo-Olu Raises Concern Over Increasing Rape Cases, Adolescents’ Drug Use

The Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has raised alarm over growing social vices, stating that more than 4,000 rape cases were recorded in 2025 with adolescent drug abuse also on the increase.

Sanwo-Olu urged residents to report cases of domestic and sexual violence through the state’s toll-free line, 08000333333, stressing that government remained committed to protecting vulnerable persons and ensuring perpetrators face justice.

She said this during the flag-off of the state’s 2026 Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (MNCAH+N) Week.

Sanwo-Olu called on residents to adopt preventive healthcare, avoid unqualified healthcare providers, and take advantage of the free life-saving services being offered across the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the week-long exercise, holding from July 20 to 24, will provide free healthcare services at all public primary healthcare centres and designated sites statewide.

Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, described the MNCAH+N Week as a strategic platform for delivering high-impact, cost-effective healthcare interventions to mothers, children, adolescents and families across Lagos.

She said the programme would increase access to free healthcare services while encouraging residents to adopt positive health-seeking behaviours.

The interventions include Vitamin A supplementation, deworming, family planning, antenatal and postnatal care, immunisation, nutrition counselling, growth monitoring, tuberculosis screening, HIV counselling and testing, and health education.

Others include counselling on handwashing, substance abuse and gender-based violence. She further warned pregnant women against seeking care from unqualified birth attendants, saying patronage of quacks had continued to result in avoidable complications and deaths.

“Our pregnant women should stop seeking services from quacks. I call on the Traditional Medicine Board, law enforcement agencies and community leaders to strengthen monitoring efforts and bring these criminals to justice,” she said.

Highlighting achievements recorded during the previous round of the programme, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that no fewer than 4.19 million children received Vitamin A supplements, 4.36 million children were dewormed.

She added that more than 17,500 pregnant women and nursing mothers accessed antenatal and postnatal services, while over 216,900 women and men benefited from family planning services.

She expressed confidence that more residents would be reached during the current round as health workers had been adequately trained for the exercise.

Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, noted that maternal and child mortality remained a major public health concern in spite of progress recorded over the years.

She urged parents and caregivers who had defaulted in routine healthcare to use the outreach as an opportunity to access free services.

Ogunyemi appreciated development partners including UNICEF, UNFPA, the Gates Foundation and Agrim Pharmaceuticals for supporting the programme.

Commenting, UNICEF Lagos Chief of Office, Celine Lafoucriere, commended the Lagos State Government for sustaining investments in child nutrition and maternal health. She noted that Lagos is home to about three million children under the age of five.

Lafoucriere disclosed that UNICEF supported the current campaign with Vitamin A capsules, micronutrient supplements and community mobilisation. She urged the state to ensure a successful second round before the end of November and procure adequate deworming tablets for eligible children.