The Ogun State Police Command has urged schoolgirls to resist child marriage, report abuse and shun social vices that threaten their education, safety and future prospects.
The call was made during sensitisation visits to Abeokuta Girls’ Grammar School and Baptist Girls’ College, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, to mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.
The outreach, conducted through the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), focused on the theme, “End Child Marriage & Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
Commissioner Of Police, Bode Ojajuni said child protection and youth empowerment were important components of crime prevention, calling for sustained cooperation among the police, school authorities, parents, guardians and community leaders to protect children from abuse and exploitation.
He urged parents, educators and other stakeholders to report suspected cases of child abuse and exploitation through appropriate channels, assuring that command would continue public sensitisation and partnerships aimed at protecting vulnerable people and promoting safety across Ogun State.
Speaking on “Breaking Boundaries: Shaping the Future of the Girl Child,” POCACOV State Coordinator, ASP Opeyemi Oluborode, urged the students to pursue their ambitions through education, discipline, self-confidence and determination.
He highlighted the need to protect girls from child marriage, discrimination, abuse and other harmful practices, citing legal safeguards, including the Child Rights Act as domesticated in relevant jurisdictions.
Oluborode also warned the students about the dangers of cultism, drug abuse, cybercrime and negative peer influence, urging them to seek help from trusted adults and appropriate authorities whenever their rights or safety were threatened.
Earlier, the Principal of Baptist Girls’ College, Mrs Osunbara, and Mrs A. Akeweje, Vice Principal (Administration), who represented the Principal of Abeokuta Girls’ Grammar School, thanked Commissioner of Police for prioritising child protection and engagement with schools.
On their part, the students pledged to reject social vices and child marriage, uphold their rights and responsibilities, and remain committed to academic excellence.
The senior prefects of both schools also expressed appreciation and pledged the students’ commitment to the lessons learnt.