The Federal Government has responded to the viral video of a cleric flogging several minors in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
In a press statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Jonathan Eze, on Saturday, the Minister, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the act as “barbaric, criminal, and a gross violation of the Child Rights Act.”
She said the Federal government would not tolerate any form of abuse, especially those targeted at children.
“Whether by strangers, community leaders, or parents, any individual or group found culpable of such heinous acts will be held accountable under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act. This includes any parent or guardian who aided or condoned the abuse.”
The Minister commended the Nigeria Police Force, particularly the Rivers State Command, for its swift intervention, and also praised the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Hajiya Binta Bello, for deploying her team promptly to rescue and safeguard the affected children.
She further acknowledged the contributions of citizens who recorded and exposed the abuse, saying ‘’their courage embodies the spirit of our ‘See Something, Say Something, We Will Do Something’ campaign.”
However, the Minister advised that such reports should be channelled directly to the Police, NAPTIP, or other law enforcement agencies to ensure quick intervention without compromising rescue efforts or the privacy of victims.
According to the statement, the rescued children are now under protective custody and are receiving medical and psychosocial support in line with the provisions of the Child Rights Act, which has been domesticated across the 36 states of the Federation.
