The Federal Government has condemned the reported abuse of children in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, allegedly carried out under the guise of a spiritual cleansing ritual.
In a statement issued on Saturday by her media aide, Jonathan Eze, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the incident as “barbaric, criminal, and a gross violation of the Child Rights Act.”
She stressed that the Tinubu administration would not tolerate child abuse in any form, warning that all culprits—including parents or guardians who condoned the act—would face prosecution under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act.
The minister commended the Nigeria Police Force, particularly the Rivers State Command, for its swift response, and also praised the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Hajiya Binta Bello, for promptly deploying a team to rescue the victims.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim also acknowledged citizens who exposed the abuse, noting that their action reflected the ministry’s “See Something, Say Something, We Will Do Something” campaign. She, however, urged the public to channel such reports directly to the police or NAPTIP to guarantee faster intervention and protect victims’ privacy.
According to the ministry, the rescued children are now in protective custody and are receiving medical and psychosocial care in line with the provisions of the Child Rights Act, which has been domesticated across all 36 states.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to child protection, the minister said: “We will not rest until Nigeria becomes a safe place for every child to grow, dream, and thrive.
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The soul of our nation depends on how we protect its future—our children.”
