CHILDREN ARE NOT CONTENT: FIDA NIGERIA DEMANDS JUSTICE IN ANAMBRA CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CASE

A child is not a source of income. A child is not entertainment. A child’s body must never be used to generate clicks, followers or money.

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria strongly condemns the reported sexual exploitation of children in Onitsha, Anambra State, where a 36-year-old woman was arrested over allegations that she used sex toys to sexually exploit her minor daughter for TikTok monetisation. Four children, reportedly aged 2, 3, 6 and 9, were rescued during the police operation.

If established through investigation and due process, these allegations represent a profound violation of the children’s rights, dignity and bodily integrity. They demand more than public outrage. They demand a serious investigation, effective protection of the children and accountability in accordance with the law.
FIDA Nigeria commends the swift intervention of the police and calls for a prompt, thorough and coordinated investigation, alongside immediate child protection and care measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the children.

THE LAW MUST MEET THE ABUSE WHERE IT OCCURS
Nigeria’s legal framework provides important protections that must be brought to bear on this case, including the Child Rights Act 2003, the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act and applicable Anambra State legislation, and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, as amended.
The allegations should be examined within all applicable legal provisions addressing child abuse, sexual violence, exploitation and technology-enabled offences. Sexual violence does not become less serious because the alleged perpetrator is a woman, and the sex of an alleged perpetrator does not remove criminal responsibility where the elements of an offence are established.

Where digital technology has allegedly been used to create, transmit, distribute or monetise sexual material involving children, the digital dimension must also be fully investigated. This should include relevant devices, social media accounts, online content, payment trails and any persons who may have participated in, facilitated or benefited from the alleged exploitation.

FIDA NIGERIA DEMANDS
FIDA Nigeria calls for:
1. A full, prompt and coordinated investigation into the allegations and the circumstances surrounding the children’s exposure to harm.
2. Immediate and sustained protection for the children, including safe accommodation where necessary, medical care, psychological support and appropriate social services.
3. Investigation of every person who may have participated in, facilitated, financed or benefited from the alleged exploitation, directly or through digital platforms.
4. Preservation and forensic examination of relevant digital evidence, including devices, social media accounts, online content, financial transactions, and other records capable of establishing the full chain of activity.
5. Effective coordination among the Police, prosecutors, child protection authorities and other relevant agencies, with the children’s safety and best interests remaining central throughout the process.
6. Prompt prosecution where the evidence establishes criminal liability under applicable law.
7. Strict protection of the children’s identities, privacy and dignity throughout the investigation and any subsequent proceedings.
FIDA Nigeria also urges digital platforms and service providers to cooperate fully with lawful investigations and strengthen safeguards against the sexual exploitation of children for online engagement, traffic or financial gain.

THE CHILDREN MUST NOT BE HARMED TWICE
The alleged abuse is one harm. Reproducing, sharing or publishing material that identifies the children can expose them to further harm.
FIDA Nigeria therefore strongly urges journalists, bloggers, social media users, and members of the public not to publish, share, or circulate the children’s names, photographs, videos, locations, or any other identifying information. The public has a legitimate interest in accountability; it does not have a right to consume a child’s trauma.

THIS CASE IS BIGGER THAN ONE ARREST
This case should prompt serious attention to the growing risks of technology-enabled child sexual exploitation, how such exploitation is created, monetised and circulated, how it can be detected, and whether existing child protection systems are equipped to respond quickly enough.
It should also challenge societal assumptions about sexual violence. Child sexual abuse does not have one face, one gender or one setting. The law must respond to the conduct and the harm, regardless of who is alleged to have committed it.

Children deserve to be protected from abuse before it happens, supported and given justice when abuse occurs, and treated with dignity throughout the process.
They are children. They are not content. They are not commodities. And their suffering must never become somebody else’s business model.
For FIDA Nigeria