The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has condemned the alleged brutalisation of a 12-year-old boy, Master Ugonna Uzoma, in Aba, Abia State, warning the public against recording, downloading or circulating videos of child abuse.
The Ministry, in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday and signed by its Head of Press and Public Relations, Ahmed Lawan Danbazau, said the alleged abuse, reportedly perpetrated by the boy’s father, had raised serious concerns over the protection of children’s rights and dignity.
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said circulating images or videos of abused children could compound their trauma and expose them to further humiliation and violation of their privacy.
She urged members of the public who encounter suspected cases of child abuse to preserve relevant evidence securely and promptly report them to law-enforcement agencies, child-protection authorities or social-welfare institutions rather than sharing such materials online.
The Ministry commended the Nigeria Police Force and the Abia State Ministry of Women Affairs for their prompt intervention in the Aba case, including the arrest of the alleged perpetrator and the placement of the child in protective care.
It also acknowledged the intervention of the Anambra State Police Command, Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and other stakeholders in a separate reported case of child abuse in Onitsha.
The Ministry stressed that parental authority could not be used to justify violations of a child’s dignity, bodily integrity or fundamental rights.
It noted that the Child Rights Act 2003 and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 provide legal frameworks for protecting children against abuse, exploitation, torture, degrading treatment and other forms of violence.
The Ministry called on parents, caregivers, schools, communities, religious and traditional institutions, media organisations and technology platforms to strengthen measures for preventing and responding to child abuse, including abuse facilitated through digital platforms.
It further pledged continued collaboration with state ministries, security agencies, the judiciary, NAPTIP, FIDA, civil society organisations and development partners to strengthen mechanisms for prevention, reporting, referral, survivor support and accountability.
The Ministry reiterated that every credible report of child abuse deserved an appropriate response, stressing that efforts to expose or raise awareness about abuse must not result in further harm, humiliation or loss of privacy for victims.
