The Edo State Government says more than 70 cases of child defilement were recorded across the state between January and July 2026, with fathers allegedly responsible for over half of the cases.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Eugenia Abdallah, disclosed this on Thursday at the state Ministry of Information and Strategy’s bi-monthly press conference.
Abdallah said the victims allegedly abused by their fathers were between two and 10 years old.
She also disclosed that a 14-year-old girl currently in the ministry’s custody is eight months pregnant after allegedly being impregnated by her father. According to the commissioner, the case was reported by a neighbor.
Abdallah reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting vulnerable citizens and supporting survivors through social protection and economic empowerment programs.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, defended the government’s ban on motorcycle operations in Benin City, saying the measure was introduced for security reasons.
He said motorcycles had been used by criminals to facilitate kidnapping and robbery, including transporting victims to isolated locations.
The Managing Director of Edo State Geographic Information Service, Innocent Bello, attributed delays in processing land documents to the discovery of fraudulent application documents, including fake survey plans, tax clearances, and identification documents.
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