The DSVA made this known on Tuesday in a statement shared on its X handle, @Lagosdsva, to mark the 2025 World Day for the Prevention of, and Healing from, Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence.

It noted that the 2025 global theme: “Strengthening the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse Through Evidence-Based Policy Making,” reflected the urgent need for data-driven solutions to combat child abuse.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in 2022, the United Nations strengthened this global effort by designating Nov. 18 as the World Day for the Prevention of, and Healing from, Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence.

This is an important step in uniting the international community around awareness, prevention, and support for survivors.

The agency emphasised that safeguarding children was a collective responsibility.

According to the DSVA, prioritising evidence-based policies is essential for ensuring that interventions are effective, justice systems are responsive and survivors receive the support they need to heal.

It highlighted that reliable data and informed decision-making form the foundation of a safer society for children.

The DSVA called on residents to remain vigilant and report any suspected case of child abuse.

“The agency’s toll-free hotline, 0-8000-333-333, remains available for immediate reporting and support.

“Every child deserves safety, dignity, and a society that places their well-being first,” it stated.

The agency reaffirmed its mission to protect the state’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens

The Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, said this in a statement on Monday in Lagos.

The statement was issued by Mr Mukaila Sanusi, Director, Public Affairs of the Ministry.

He gave the charge during a meeting with the management staff of LASPPPA at the agency’s headquarters in Ikeja.

Olumide said the rise in submissions across LASPPPA district offices was expected.

He noted that the Amnesty Programme, which runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025, allows owners of already completed but unapproved buildings to regularise their properties without paying statutory penalties, provided they meet planning and safety requirements.

The commissioner commended residents for responding quickly but said LASPPPA officers must step up their operations to manage the increased workload.

“As experienced planning officers, you must ensure faster processing, strict compliance checks and clear communication with applicants.

“It is your responsibility to treat applicants with utmost respect,” he said.

Olumide reminded the officers that only buildings that met minimum acceptable standards should receive approvals.

He stressed that the programme was not an automatic approval exercise but a deliberate effort to promote orderly and safe development in the state.

He also urged district officers to support applicants, eliminate unnecessary delays and avoid shortcuts or unethical practices.

He said all applications must be handled efficiently, transparently and professionally.

He advised residents to submit their applications at any of the 57 LASPPPA district offices or through the Electronic Planning Permit portal.

He also reminded them to provide all required documents such as survey plans, proof of ownership and as-built drawings.

Olumide encouraged property owners to make use of the Amnesty window, noting that the surge in applications showed that many residents were willing to comply with planning regulations

Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), made this known at an event on Friday in Ikeja.

The event was an Engagement of Social Studies and Science Teachers on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).

The joint taskforce is in charge of implementing the Executive Order on safeguarding and child protection.

The members of the Joint Task Force comprise top level representatives of the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA) and the Ministry of Education.

Other members include the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Lagos State Safety Commission, State Universal Basic Education Board, Child Protection Network and the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA).

Vivour-Adeniyi said that the taskforce had handled cases where the violator was a stranger, and others where the violator was a father, a teacher, a neighbour, or a trusted friend.

She said that such realities reminded that SGBV was not a distant social problem, but a daily test of collective humanity.

According to her, if the home is the first place where a child should feel safe, and the school is the second, then the teachers are the guardians of that second safe space.

“Today, we meet not just as professionals fulfilling a civic duty, but as custodians of the minds and hearts that will define Nigeria’s tomorrow.

“Every society is built twice — first in the imagination of its teachers, and then in the actions of its citizens.

“You, our social studies teachers, sit at that sacred intersection where knowledge meets character, where information becomes transformation.

“When you teach about society, you are not just explaining laws or customs; you are shaping the values that determine whether a child grows up to respect or violate another person’s dignity.

“So, your classroom becomes the first court of justice, where fairness, empathy and equality must take root before they are ever tested in the real world,” she said.

The executive secretary said that the engagement was part of the agency’s broader commitment to build a safer, more inclusive Lagos, where every child could thrive without fear.

She said that the engagement was to equip teachers with knowledge on identifying early warning signs of abuse, and empower them to handle disclosures from students with sensitivity and professionalism.

Vivour-Adeniyi said that it was to strengthen the referral linkage between schools and DSVA’s psychosocial and legal support services.

She said that it was to inspire a generation of educators, who taught not only civics but civility; not only rules but respect.

According to her, when a teacher listens without judgment, reports without delay and educates without fear, lives will be saved.

Vivour-Adeniyi urged teachers to think a moment about their classrooms, because among the pupils might be a child too afraid to speak about the bruises at home.

“There might be a student who thinks silence is strength because no adult has ever told them otherwise.

“You have the power to change that story — with one conversation, one lesson, one moment of courage.

“Our children are watching how we respond. When we normalise respect, when we model accountability, when we teach empathy — we are building not just educated minds but safe communities.

“Let this engagement mark a new chapter — where teachers become advocates, classrooms become sanctuaries, and education becomes the most powerful weapon against violence.

“Together, let us raise a generation that not only says ”No to SGBV”, but understands why, because every human being, boy or girl, man or woman, deserves safety, dignity and respect,” she said.

Also speaking, Mrs Modupeola Sahid-Adebambo, Chairperson, Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASoW), Lagos State Chapter, said that child protection was everyone’s business.

Sahid-Adebambo said that society as a whole shared a responsibility to protect the safety and well-being of children.

She said that any member of the school community could make a report to Child Protection, if they had significant concern(s) for the well-being of a child.

Also, Mr Jubril Yakubu, Director, Human Integration, Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, urged teachers to handle disclosures of abuse properly.

Yakubu urged them to listen calmly and avoid expression of their own views, ensure confidentiality of individual reporting, and reassure the child it was not his or her fault.

“Let the child know that he/she has done the right thing by reporting, show care, give full attention, help the survivor to open up and keep your time and language open and encouraging.

“Respect, pause, don’t interrupt or interject, let the survivor go at his or her own space, avoid promising secrets, ensure proper documentation and report immediately.

“Ensure that justice is served and follow up the plan by informing the appropriate quarters,” he said.

The Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Mrs Sarat Braimah, confirmed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.

Braimah said the move was part of proactive efforts to prevent the menace from disrupting boat transportation and other waterway activities in the littoral communities.

“The NIWA team, supported by heavy-duty equipment including swamp devils, harvesters, and other relevant machinery, has commenced preliminary clearing operations around Ebute Ikorodu and Ikpakodo ferry terminals.

“ The exercise is intended to ensure that the waterways remain navigable and free from obstructions caused by the invasive aquatic weed,” she said.

Braimah said the deployment of the taskforce was a preventive measure designed to guarantee the smooth movement of goods and passengers through the Ikorodu waterways.

“We have carefully studied the pattern and spread of the water hyacinth phenomenon and have chosen to act swiftly to mitigate its impact before it causes disruption to boat and ferry operations.

“Beyond transportation, we are also mindful of the effects on local fishing activities. The earlier we address the problem, the better.

“My boss, the Managing Director of NIWA, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, has awarded the contract to tackle the menace of water hyacinth across the country to ensure smooth passage of movement of goods and passengers.

“ I will personally be on the ground throughout the week to monitor the progress of the operation, by the contractors,” she added.

Sanwo-Olu made the call at the opening of the First Annual Africa Colloquium Against Human Trafficking, in partnership with Pepperdine University, California, United States of America, on Thursday in Lagos.

The governor described the crimes as an affront to humanity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the colloquium with the theme; “A United Front Against Ritual Abuse and Sacrifice,” brought together stakeholders from government institutions, law enforcement agencies, civil society, and international partners.

The governor was represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin.

Sanwo-Olu, in his address, said human trafficking remained a grave reality affecting millions across Africa, particularly women and children, through forced labour, sexual exploitation, and ritual killings.

“Behind every statistic is a face, a name, and a story of pain that must never be ignored,” he said.

The governor said the battle against trafficking and ritual abuse could only be won through a united effort across borders and institutions, while urging governments, non-governmental organisations, and communities to strengthen cooperation and public awareness.

According to him, Lagos State has already taken decisive steps through its Task Force Against Human Trafficking, in collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking  in Persons (NAPTIP)and international bodies.

This, he said, was to strengthen prosecution, rehabilitate survivors, and raise awareness.

Sanwo-Olu also cautioned against the myths linking power or success to ritual killings, describing them as dangerous beliefs that must be replaced with knowledge and empathy.

He assured survivors of the continued support by the state pledging improved care, faster prosecutions, and enhanced cross-border investigations.

“This colloquium marks the day we move from words to work.

“Together, we will protect our people, punish perpetrators and restore dignity to those harmed,” he said.

The governor also described the gathering as a moral awakening for Africa, in which the continent must stand firm in declaring that “our people are not for sale, our children are not sacrifices, and our future will never be built on fear or blood.”

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ending human trafficking, ritual abuse, and related crimes across Africa.

Fagbemi, who was represented by Mrs Ezinne Nwokoro, a staff in the ministry, commended the organisers for providing a vital platform to address the complex realities of human trafficking and ritual abuse.

He, however, described such crimes as a grave affront to humanity and a violation of international human rights.

“This is not just another event, it is a necessary gathering for those of us working in different capacities to confront the painful reality of trafficking, ritual abuse, and human sacrifice in Africa.

“If traffickers can collaborate across borders, then so must we.

“We need stronger regional partnerships, survivor-led initiatives and a justice system that protects rather than traumatised victims.

“The office of the AGF has prioritised the fight against human trafficking through legislative reforms, enhanced cooperation with NAPTIP, and strengthened international collaboration.

“Let this not just be another conference but a platform for meaningful change guided by the voices and experiences of survivors,” he said.

Fagbemi also urged the participants to use the colloquium as a call to action.

Prof. Cameron Mc Collum, the Director, Sudreau Global Justice Institute, Pepperdine University, California, U.S., said the institution would continue to work with African nations to strengthen justice systems and combat ritual abuse and human trafficking.

Mc Collum said the institution had partnered with African countries for over 20 years to promote access to justice and criminal justice reform.

According to him, the university began its journey in Africa through a partnership with Uganda, where it helped establish a fast-track juvenile justice system and later expanded into broader justice initiatives, including plea bargaining and anti-trafficking interventions.

“From Uganda, our work has grown and today we collaborate with nearly 20 African countries on justice and anti-trafficking projects.

“Nigeria is a pivotal location for driving continental change and this colloquium was designed not just for discussion but for developing actionable solutions.

“Our goal is to move beyond talk to implementation, see justice systems that protect the vulnerable and hold offenders accountable,” he said.

Mc Collum added that the annual event would track progress and support legislative and institutional reforms across Africa

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olohundare Jimoh, gave the assurance while addressing journalists during the Show of Force by the command on Monday in Ikeja.

Jimoh said that the exercise was part of efforts to reassure residents of their safety and to demonstrate the readiness of the command to maintain peace and order across the state.

He explained that the command had made strategic deployments to all flashpoints where protests had previously occurred, including the Lekki Toll Gate, Ojota, Maryland, Gani Fawehinmi Park, and other key areas across the metropolis.

”We want residents to know that they are safe and can go about their lawful business without fear.

“We have made proper deployments to all identifiable points where protesters used to gather in the past,” the police chief said.

He noted that the ”Show of Force” was aimed at deterring troublemakers and ensuring that no group of individuals disrupts public peace under the guise of protests.

”Protests are allowed anywhere in the world, but when you take the law into your hands and disrupt public peace, that is no longer a protest.

“We will not allow anyone to infringe on the rights of others who are going about their daily activities,” he warned.

The Commissioner added that police formations across Lagos had been directed to send situation reports every 15 minutes to ensure real-time monitoring of events.

He said that so far, there had been no reports of unrest, disruption of traffic, or attacks in any part of the state, noting that areas like Ojota, Maryland, and Lekki remained peaceful with officers maintaining a visible presence.

”Lagos is safe, peaceful, and free of any form of protest. We will continue to patrol and monitor all areas to sustain the peace residents are enjoying,” he assured.

The new estate, known as the Lagos State Housing Estate, Ajara Phase 1, is expected to provide accommodation for more than 2,000 residents and increase the state’s stock of affordable housing.

The Commissioner for Housing, Mr Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, made this known during a media chat with journalists in his office in Ikeja, on Tuesday.

“The estate consists of one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartments designed to meet the needs of different income groups.

“The project is part of Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to completing all ongoing housing projects and ensuring more Lagos residents have access to quality and affordable homes,” he said.

Akinderu-Fatai expressed delight over the completion of the project, noting that it would boost economic activities in the Badagry area.

He thanked prospective homeowners for their patience, and advised interested applicants to visit the estate department of the ministry of housing at Block 3, the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja for inquiries.

He also warned the public to beware of fraudsters, stressing that the ministry does not engage agents in the sale of its housing units