Nigeria's Children Are Under Attack: 36 Abuse Cases in Months, Group Demands Action
By Tunde Okoro
The Child Protection Network Nigeria (CPN Nigeria) has sounded the alarm: at least 36 cases of child abuse, including trafficking, sexual abuse, and illegal adoption, were recorded in just a few months. The group is now demanding urgent national action to protect the most vulnerable among us.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the National Coordinator, Olakunle Sanni, laid it bare. These cases are not just numbers. They represent the harsh reality facing millions of Nigerian children: sexual abuse, trafficking, abduction, physical violence, neglect, poverty, homelessness, hunger, and being locked out of education and healthcare.
What is driving child abuse and trafficking in Nigeria?
Sanni was clear that these challenges are interconnected. They feed off each other, and they demand a coordinated national response, not piecemeal fixes. While he acknowledged that federal, state, and local governments have stepped up in areas like education, school feeding, and anti-trafficking operations, he stressed that millions of children remain dangerously exposed.
Sexual abuse, he said, is one of the most disturbing violations of childhood. It is happening in homes, schools, religious institutions, and other places where children should be safest. And the culture of silence around it is making things worse. Perpetrators must not be shielded by families, institutions, or influential individuals, he insisted.
Why is illegal adoption becoming a trafficking route?
Adoption is a legitimate way to protect children when done right. But Sanni raised serious concerns about its abuse as a pathway for trafficking and exploitation. He called out the alleged involvement of some orphanages and motherless babies' homes in these shady practices.
He pointed to the recent sealing of Divine Hope Orphanage and Less Privileged Home in Kagini, near Kubwa, by the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat and the Nigeria Police Force. The home was reportedly taking children from Benue and Nasarawa and giving them up for adoption without due process.
CPN Nigeria is also monitoring the court case involving lawyer Timipre Wolo and US-based Pastor Godstime Pender over the custody and adoption of a child. Documents in the public domain have raised red flags about the adoption process, including the residence of the prospective foster parents and compliance with the Abia State Child Rights Law.
But Sanni was careful: the organisation will not prejudge the case. Its primary concern is the welfare of the child. He urged all parties to protect the child from publicity, social-media battles, and emotional pressure. As he put it, the legal battle is between adults; the child must not become the battlefield.
What about school abductions and street children?
Child abduction, especially from schools and conflict-affected communities, remains one of the greatest threats facing Nigerian children. Sanni's words hit hard: a school should be a place of learning and protection, not a place where children fear being kidnapped.
He commended the government and security agencies for their efforts to secure schools and rescue abducted children, but he called for stronger intelligence gathering, early-warning systems, community participation, and rapid response. Every abducted child should remain a national priority until safely reunited with family, he said.
On street-connected children, including those known as Osanle, omo-ita, and Almajiri, Sanni urged a comprehensive approach. These are children, not criminals. Poverty, family breakdown, displacement, abuse, and lack of access to education push them onto the streets. He called for safe accommodation, education, vocational training, counselling, healthcare, family tracing, and sustainable reintegration.
What must Nigeria do to protect its children now?
Sanni's message was clear: protecting Nigerian children requires the collective efforts of government, parents, communities, traditional and religious institutions, schools, security agencies, civil society, the private sector, and the media. He called for stronger enforcement of child-protection laws, faster investigation and prosecution of offenders, and increased access to medical, legal, and psychosocial support for survivors.
He also demanded stronger border protection, family tracing, documentation, public awareness, and reintegration programmes, while creating safe alternatives for vulnerable families. On healthcare, he stressed that no child should die because a family could not afford treatment or because a health facility lacked basic equipment.
The Nigerian child must not be an afterthought in Nigeria's development agenda. Protecting the Nigerian child is not charity. It is a national responsibility, Sanni declared.
These challenges are interconnected and require a coordinated national response. The legal battle is between adults; the child must not become the battlefield. These are children, not criminals.
CPN Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to working with the government and other stakeholders to ensure that Nigerian children can live, learn, grow, and thrive in safety and dignity. The question now is whether the nation will match that commitment with action.
Frequently asked questions
How many child abuse cases were reported in Nigeria recently?
The Child Protection Network Nigeria received at least 36 cases of child abuse within a few months, including physical abuse, neglect, child trafficking, sexual abuse, and illegal adoption.
What is illegal adoption and how does it relate to trafficking?
Illegal adoption occurs when children are placed with families without following legal procedures. The Child Protection Network Nigeria says this is being abused as a pathway for trafficking, exploitation, and the illegal transfer of children, with some orphanages allegedly involved.
What is the government doing about school abductions?
The government and security agencies are working to secure schools and rescue abducted children. The Child Protection Network Nigeria is calling for stronger intelligence gathering, early-warning systems, community participation, and improved security around vulnerable schools.