Hajia Binta Adamu-Bello, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has raised an alarm over the rising rate of child sexual exploitation facilitated by parents and guardians.
Adamu-Bello raised the alarm in a statement signed by the Head, Press and Public Relations Unit, Mr Vincent Adekoye and made available in Abuja on Friday.
Adamu-Bello said that parents and guardians were facilitating the sexual exploitation of their children to make money.
She therefore warned that the agency would hence forth tighten the processes for the prosecution of child abuse offenders to ensure their conviction.
Adamu-Bello disclosed that the agency was swamped with reports of parents and guardians giving their children and wards out for sexual exploitation in return for money.
She said that parents and guardians have turned innocent children into sex toys without considering the attendant negative consequences both on their physical and psychological nature, as well as career in life.
“It would be recalled that in reaction to the disturbing incidents of sexual assault and abuse on children, NAPTIP had few months ago, issued a directive to all its commands across the country on the need to increase surveillance on this issue.
“NAPTIP had issued this directive to state commands for rapid response mechanism, and also effective prosecution of all cases involving child abuse and sexual assault,” Adamu-Bello said.
She also reacted to the arrest of a middle-aged woman (name withheld) by the operatives of the agency in Abuja, on allegations of giving out her teenage daughter for sexual pleasure in exchange for money.
The NAPTIP boss described the development as the highest form of cruelty against the child, which she said would attract the maximum penalty.
“I am personally disturbed as a mother and as the Director-General of NAPTIP, by the reported cases of some parents aiding and abetting the sexual abuse of their children for monetary benefits.
“From the reports being logged both at the headquarters and in our commands across the country, it appears that this unhealthy development is on the increase.
“I cannot imagine that a mother would agree to give out her daughter to men for sexual pleasure in return for money or other benefits,” she said.
Adamu-Bello said this was one of the highest forms of wickedness, stressing that such acts contravenes all legal frameworks, laws, and conventions, both nationally and globally.
“It is painful to know that the very person in a position of authority, either as a parent or guardian to protect and defend the child, and whom the child trusted so much, is the same person who either abuses or aids the child’s sexual assault.
“In reaction to this trend that the NAPTIP had strengthened monitoring mechanisms as well as enforcement, parents or guardians indulging in these obnoxious practices would have the agency to contend with in the Court of Law,” she warned.
She said that the agency had also strengthened its collaboration with partners and other law enforcement agencies across the country to enhance prompt investigation and prosecution of culprits in such cases.
According to her, no excuse will be acceptable for the devilish act, and in line with the agency’s mandates, will not spare anyone found culpable in any abuse and sexual assault on children across the country.
She, however, called on parents to be careful with the choice of servicemen and vendors who come around their houses when they are at work.
She also urged parents to carry out due diligence and proper profiling of their vendors so as not to give their children to suspected paedophiles who would continue to abuse them.
The NAPTIP boss said parents and guardians should be careful with the choice of gatekeepers, drivers, gardeners, and other persons who do school-runs for them.
She said the warning for parents to profile their vendors and other workers followed reports of their complicity in children’s sexual exploitation.