Child rights advocates have called for stronger measures to protect children from online sexual exploitation and abuse in Nigeria.
The advocates made the call on Tuesday during an X Space organised by the Foundation for Digital Justice (FDJ) following a recent incident in Edo State involving the online sexual exploitation of a child by the child’s mother.
The session, themed ‘Edo: Protecting Children from Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Nigeria,’ featured Dr Samuel Atiku, Senior Research Fellow, Macrofiscal Centre; Taiwo Akinlami, Family and Social Development Attorney; and Salvation Grace Aworanti, Founder, VARSH Foundation. It was moderated by Oluwadamilola Albert, Programs and Research Officer, FDJ.
Speaking during the session, Atiku expressed concern over the increasing cases of online sexual exploitation, saying the nature of abuse in the digital space was unlike anything previously experienced.
He called for greater accountability among social media platforms, arguing that platforms should bear responsibility when abuse occurs on their services.
“We need to make a deliberate choice and if anyone is abused on a platform, there should be a term stating that the owner of such a platform bears the brunt,” he said.
He also said Nigeria should develop and enforce regulations for digital platforms operating in the country rather than relying on regulations from countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom.
On how parents can identify and prevent abuse, Akinlami said maintaining a strong relationship with children was essential.
“The foundational thing is to have a relationship with your children. It goes beyond signs when it comes to identifying abuse in children,” he said.
According to Akinlami, protecting children should not be left to parents alone, as churches, government institutions, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders also have important roles to play.
“In Nigeria, a car that is meant to run on four tyres is running on one alone; the parents,” he said.
He urged parents and other stakeholders to guide children in navigating social media and the internet safely.
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Aworanti, who spoke from her experience working with children affected by sexual exploitation and abuse through the VARSH Foundation, expressed concern about the country’s justice system and its response to cases of abuse.
The advocates also called on the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to be more proactive in tackling cases of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
They further advocated the integration of positive social norms into Nigeria’s modern laws, arguing that stronger community involvement was necessary to protect children from abuse.
The Foundation for Digital Justice said the discussion was part of its commitment to promoting the ethical use of digital spaces and ensuring that children in Nigeria are protected from online sexual exploitation and abuse.
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