By Opeyemi Adelakun
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has warned that parents and guardians who facilitate the sexual exploitation of children for money or other benefits will face prosecution.
The agency’s Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, raised the alarm over reports of parents allegedly handing over their children to men for sexual gratification in exchange for financial rewards.
Bello spoke in Abuja following the arrest of a middle-aged woman accused of offering her teenage daughter for sexual exploitation. NAPTIP did not disclose the suspect’s identity or provide further details of the alleged offence.
Describing the reported practice as a grave betrayal of parental responsibility, the director-general said information received at the agency’s headquarters and commands across the country suggested that such cases could be increasing.
“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,” she said.
Bello stressed that children were entitled to protection from abuse and exploitation, warning that sexual violence could cause lasting physical, psychological and emotional harm and undermine victims’ education and future prospects.
She said the agency had directed its commands nationwide to strengthen surveillance, respond promptly to reports of child abuse and pursue the prosecution of suspected offenders.
“No excuse is tenable for this devilish act, and in line with our mandates, we shall not spare anyone found culpable in any abuse and sexual assault on children across the country,” she said.
The NAPTIP chief also cautioned parents against leaving children in the care of people whose backgrounds had not been properly checked.
She specifically mentioned drivers, gardeners, gatekeepers, domestic workers and people responsible for transporting children to and from school.
Bello urged parents and guardians to conduct appropriate background checks and remain vigilant, noting that abuse could also be perpetrated by people familiar to the child.
NAPTIP reiterated its commitment to investigating reported cases of child sexual exploitation and bringing suspects found culpable before the courts.
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