A total of 717 rape incidents were recorded in the country between January and May this year, while 799 suspects were arrested.

Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, disclosed this after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Monday.

Adamu said 632 of such cases have been conclusively investigated and charged to court within the period while 52 cases are still being investigated.

He attributed the surge in rapes and gender-based violence to the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

IGP said the police and other security agencies, as well as other non-governmental organizations, have been collaborating, to see that cases of rape and gender-based violence are dealt with.

He said NGOs and CSOs that have the capacity to deal with the offences, have been cooperating with law enforcement agencies in capacity building, management of victims of rape and similar offences and procedures for collecting evidence, towards successful prosecution.