Metro
Study Links 290,000 Deaths to Sexual Violence against Children
A study has linked Sexual Violence Against Children (SVAC) to 290,000 deaths worldwide, predominantly from suicide, HIV/AIDS, and type 2 diabetes in 2023.
It also linked Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) to 145,000 deaths, mostly from homicide, suicide and HIV/AIDS in 2023.
The study, published on Wednesday on the website of The Lancet was titled ‘Disease burden attributable to IPV against females and SVAC,1990 to 2023: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023.
Funded by the Gates Foundation, it was carried out by researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University Of Washington School Of Medicine.
It estimated the prevalence and burden of IPV and SVAC in 204 countries, assessing data by age and sex and identified 14 health consequences linked to SVAC and eight to IPV.
It stated that IPV and SVAC were major contributors to the global health burden, affecting a wide range of individual health outcomes, with mental health disorders accounting for the largest share of disease burden among survivors.
Globally, the study revealed that among women aged 15 to 49, IPV and SVAC were among the leading causes of premature death and disability.
It said that IPV and SVAC ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, for all health risks for premature death and disability, and among men, SVAC ranked 11th.
The study linked SVAC to 14 health conditions, including suicide, substance use disorders, and diabetes and linked IPV to eight negative health outcomes, including mental health conditions, physical injuries, and HIV.
It said among SVAC’s 14 negative health outcomes, mental health disorders, especially anxiety among women and schizophrenia among men, contributed most to lost healthy years.
This is alongside self-harm, while substance use disorders were also significant, especially among males in high-income locations.
The study estimated that in 2023, 608 million females aged 15 and older had ever been exposed to IPV, while one billion individuals aged 15 and older had experienced sexual violence during childhood.
It added that these exposures together contributed to more than 50 million Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) globally, 32.2 million from SVAC and 18.5 million from IPV.
DALYs represent the total years of healthy life lost due to both premature mortality and years lived with disability.
It estimated that nearly 30,000 women were killed by their partners in 2023 alone, indicating an urgent need for enhanced protection for at-risk individuals.
The report revealed that countries with the highest age-standardised prevalence of IPV were primarily located within the Sub-Saharan Africa and the Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania super-regions.
In Nigeria, the study revealed that deaths among women linked to IPV rose from 1,940 in 1990 to 7,410 in 2023, while deaths linked to SVAC increased from 1,010 to 4,800.
For males, deaths linked to SVAC rose from 1,490 in 1990 to 4,960 in 2023.
The report urged global and national leaders to treat IPV and SVAC as urgent public health priorities, backed by sustained funding and survivor-focused interventions.
It also emphasised that targeted interventions should be designed and implemented to address variations in exposure, while ensuring universal access for all survivors.
According to the report, the findings also reveal a rarely discussed link between SVAC and chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma.
“Emerging evidence suggests that exposure to violence during childhood might contribute to the development of these conditions through mechanisms including chronic stress and inflammation, pathways known to influence metabolic and immune function,” it stated.
Metro
Police Arrest Bus Driver over Girlfriend’s Death in Edo
The Edo State Police Command has arrested a 42-year-old commercial bus driver, Osabohien Ogieva, in connection with the death of his 32-year-old girlfriend, Joy Jerome.
The incident occurred in the Ikpe community of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state.
Confirming the development on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Eno Ikoedem, said the lifeless body of the woman was discovered along a roadside near a river on January 10, 2026.
Ikoedem said operatives of the Idogbo Police Division promptly responded to a distress call and moved the body to a hospital, where she was confirmed dead and later deposited at the mortuary.
She said investigations revealed that the deceased, a resident of the Upper Sakponba area of Benin City, was in a romantic relationship with the suspect.
She said further investigation led to Ogieva’s arrest, during which he reportedly confessed to having a disagreement with the deceased on January 9, 2026, while conveying her in his bus.
The PPRO added that the suspect allegedly abandoned the body near a river at Ikpe community and went into hiding.
She alleged that the suspect later contacted the family of the deceased, claiming he had not seen her for days.
She said, “The Edo State Police Command has arrested a 42-year-old commercial bus driver, Osabohien Ogieva, for the alleged murder of his girlfriend.
“The lifeless body of the woman was discovered along a roadside near a river on January 10, 2026.
“Operatives of the Idogbo Police Division promptly responded to a distress call and moved the body to a hospital, where she was confirmed dead and later deposited at the mortuary.”
Ikoedem said the suspect is currently in police custody and would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
On Sunday, the Kano State Police Command arrested three principal suspects in connection with the killing of a housewife and her six children in Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters of the Kano metropolis.
The suspects were arrested following an intelligence-led and coordinated operation carried out between the night of January 17 and the early hours of Sunday.
Metro
Communities Hail Dangote Cement Obajana Plant Director Over Impactful CDA, CSR Projects
The Plant Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana, Engr. Azad Nawabuddin, has received commendation from host communities for his exemplary commitment to community development.
Community leaders and stakeholders hailed his leadership for the timely implementation of the Community Development Agreement (CDA), as well as the consistent rollout of impactful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes.
These efforts, they noted, have strengthened community relations, enhanced social infrastructure, and strengthened sustainable cooperation between the company and its host communities.
The Bajana of Obajana, Engr. Idowu Isenibi, commended the Obajana Plant Director, the company’s Vice President, Devakumar V.
G. Edwin, and Group President Aliko Dangote for their unwavering support through a range of developmental programmes and support.He said the company’s social efforts are being implemented through a well-structured Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme under the Social Performance Department.
He added that these programmes are meeting community needs and fostering sustainable growth and development.
Also speaking, the Youth Leader of the Oyo Community, Abraham Paul, commended the Plant Director for what he described as uncommon and commendable support to the community, most especially in coming to the aid of the Community in seeing to execution of rehabilitation of vandalized 33kva lines that supplied electricity to the community.
He acknowledged that, despite the existence of some challenges impacting the Plant’s operation, he expressed optimism and confidence that, through sustained collaboration and dialogue, such issues would be effectively addressed for the overall benefit of the Plant and the host communities.
In his remarks, the Baalo of the Oyo Community, Solomon Obahawu, speaking through his aide, Mr. David Afolabi, stated that the company, under the leadership of the Plant Director, has made significant contributions to the social well-being and overall development of the Oyo community.
David Afolabi, serves as the Financial Secretary of the Oyo Community and as the Acting Director of the Parents–Teachers Association (PTA) for the Oyo Primary and Secondary Schools.
He alluded to the submission by the Chief sitting prompt support for human capital via provision of yearly scholarship, women enterprise promotion, farmers support and infrastructural provision, such as street lighting of the community, school buildings and furnishing among others..
The Monarch expressed appreciation to the company for implementing several impactful projects in 2025, including the employment of 20 local security personnel, the installation of 50 solar-powered streetlights, the construction of drainage infrastructure, and the conversion of three motorized boreholes into solar-powered systems to address the challenge of incessant power failure.
Director, Engr. Azad said the company had implemented several social projects, some of which include: Farmers Assistance Grants to Oyo and Iwaa, Vocational Skill Training, Market Women Assistance Grant to Oyo and Iwaa, funding Support to cooperatives in all the four communities and provision of security houses to promote and support community policing.
The General Manager, Social Performance, Prince Ademola Adeyemi, had noted that plan is ongoing to officially commission and handover some of projects completed in the four catchment communities of Oyo, Iwaa, Obajana, and Apata given improvement in security situation in the area.
He also informed that as a good corporate citizen, the Company has commenced the implementation of CDA signed with Jakura community with the award of contract for electrification of the community.
Metro
Wike Appoints Daura SSA on Protocol Matters
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has appointed Mr Sani Daura as his Senior Special Assistant on Protocol Matters.
Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the minister on Public Communications and Social Media, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
Olayinka described Daura as a seasoned civil servant with over 30 years’ experience in the FCT Administration’s Protocol Department.
He explained that Daura, who became the Director, FCT Protocol in 2019, would retire from the Civil Service on Jan. 24.
Olayinka said that the appointment would take effect from the date of his retirement from the civil service.

