Hope Ajayi 
OGUN, Nigeria – The Ogun State Police Command has urged schoolgirls to resist child marriage, report abuse and avoid criminal activities, warning that such threats can undermine their safety, education and future opportunities.
The appeal was made on Friday, 16 October 2026, during a sensitisation campaign at Abeokuta Girls’ Grammar School and Baptist Girls’ College, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, to mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child. The programme was organised through the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) under the theme, “End Child Marriage & Invest in Girls’ Rights”.
In a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, the initiative was described as part of efforts to promote child protection, academic achievement and crime prevention. The state POCACOV coordinator, ASP Opeyemi Oluborode, led the exercise and spoke on the topic, “Breaking Boundaries: Shaping the Future of the Girl Child”.
Oluborode urged the students not to allow discrimination, abuse or pressure to enter into early marriages to derail their ambitions. He stressed the importance of education, discipline, self-confidence and determination in helping girls achieve their goals.
The police also warned the students against cultism, drug abuse, cybercrime and negative peer influence, noting that these activities could expose them to harm and disrupt their education.
They were encouraged to report abuse and seek help from trusted adults or the appropriate authorities whenever their rights or safety were threatened. The students pledged to reject child marriage, avoid social vices and remain committed to their studies.
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Mirian Gom 
