LAGOS DSVA TRAINS 24 POLICE OFFICERS TO STRENGTHEN SGBV CASE HANDLING

The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency has trained 24 police officers on improved methods of investigating and prosecuting Sexual and Gender-Based Violence cases. The officers were drawn from the newly upgraded Family Support Units in Isheri, Idimu, Meiran, Ijesha and Iju, as well as the Gender Desk of the Lagos State Police Command. The two-day capacity-building programme was held between September 3 and 4, 2026, at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Conference and Exhibition Centre in Alausa, Ikeja.

The training was designed to equip the officers with practical knowledge for handling SGBV complaints in a survivor-centred, trauma-informed and legally appropriate manner. According to the DSVA, participants were trained in evidence gathering, investigation, documentation, reporting and collaboration among relevant agencies involved in responding to sexual and domestic violence cases. The programme formed part of efforts to strengthen the newly upgraded Family Support Units and improve the quality of police responses to survivors.

Among the areas covered were human rights and legal frameworks, police reporting standards, forensic evidence, investigative procedures and the proper interpretation of medical and forensic reports. Officers also received guidance on handling cases involving women, men and children, including child-friendly interviewing techniques, preservation of evidence and referral procedures. The training is expected to help officers manage sensitive cases more professionally while ensuring that critical evidence is properly documented and preserved for prosecution.

The Executive Secretary of the DSVA, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, commended officers working in Family Support Units and Gender Desks for their role in protecting survivors and supporting access to justice. She stressed the importance of strengthening the capacity of frontline personnel, particularly those who are often the first point of contact for victims of domestic and sexual violence. The agency has continued to expand its response structures across Lagos as part of a broader strategy to improve prevention, reporting, investigation and access to support services.

The initiative comes amid wider efforts by the Lagos State Government to improve the response to domestic and sexual violence. The DSVA has said stronger collaboration among law enforcement agencies, healthcare providers, prosecutors and other service providers is essential to ensuring that survivors receive appropriate protection and support while perpetrators are held accountable. The agency said continued training of frontline professionals would remain an important part of its efforts to strengthen the state's SGBV response system.