The Lagos State University (LASU) has achieved a significant milestone towards its goal of becoming a leading research institution in Africa, as an eight-member research team recently completed a groundbreaking study on rape across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

Funded by a N34 million grant from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), the study was aimed at understanding emerging patterns and determinants of rape in both rural and urban areas of Nigeria. The research findings were presented at a seminar held in the ACEITSE Lecture Hall on LASU’s main campus, Ojo, on November 6, 2024.

Led by LASU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Olufunsho Omobitan, the research team comprised experts from Economics, Sociology, Counseling, Geography, and Planning, highlighting the university’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration. Prof. Omobitan emphasized the project’s role in fostering unity among various departments while addressing a crucial social issue. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, praised the study as “the most comprehensive and profoundly empirical research on rape in Nigeria,” underscoring its importance in advancing national discourse on sexual violence.

Key findings from the research indicate that effective child protection laws, sustained media campaigns, and advocacy for family values are critical in reducing rape incidents in Nigeria. Prof. Onipede Wusu, Coordinator of the research team, detailed the study’s focus on the comparative prevalence of rape in rural versus urban communities. In her address, Prof. Olatunji-Bello called on stakeholders to take the findings seriously, positioning the research as a cornerstone in Nigeria’s fight against sexual violence.