Health
Stakeholders condemn spate of child abuse, demand urgent action
Stakeholders have condemned the rising cases of torture and physical abuse of children by their guardians in Nigeria, calling for urgent action to protect children from severe harm, exploitation, and neglect.
They noted that physical abuse threatens the health, safety, and development of many children, with long-term consequences for their well-being.
Lawyers and child health experts who spoke exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise urged governments at all levels, law enforcement agencies, communities, and families to strengthen child protection systems, enforce existing laws, and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.
The stakeholders made the call while reacting to recent reported cases of children tortured by their guardians, particularly in the South Eastern part of the country.
PUNCH Healthwise reports that in a space of two months, more than four cases of domestic abuse and physical child assault came to the fore in traditional and social media.
On July 5, the Abia State Police Command arrested 35-year-old Nwoko Gift, who resides at IBB Housing Estate, Umuahia, after a viral video showed her attempting to attack a 12-year-old girl with a kitchen knife.
She attacked the 12-year-old girl, identified as her niece, for allegedly failing to spread clothes before she left for the market.
In June, a 30-year-old woman, Chisom Chukwukere, was arrested alongside her husband for brutalising a 10-year-old boy in Awada, Obosi, in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The victim, whose video showed extensive injuries across his body, recently went viral on social media and sparked widespread outrage.
Meanwhile, several videos on social media showed instances where children below 10 years old were severely tortured by their guardians.
For instance, a woman in Anambra allegedly used a hot iron to inflict severe burns on a boy’s back; in Enugu State, a woman was said to have brutalised an 8-year-old child by using a razor blade to cut off one of the child’s toes.
Also in FCT, a woman physically abused her sister’s 5-year-old daughter, staying with her, resulting in severe injuries to her back and face. In Akwa Ibom, a girl was also subjected to physical abuse, with the suspect allegedly using a hot knife to inflict injuries on the girl.
PUNCH Healthwise reports that despite the implementation of the Child Rights Act and Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, 2015, which ensures the safety, rights, and well-being of every Nigerian child, children are still facing cases of abuse across the country.
Available reports indicate that while 25 states have implemented the Child Rights Act, 11 states have yet to do so in Nigeria.
But speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, the stakeholders stressed that weak enforcement of child protection laws, poor public awareness, and the reluctance to report abuse have contributed to the rising abuse.
The Country Vice President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers Nigeria, Eliana Martins, blamed failing family units and protective systems for cases of domestic abuse involving children.
She said dysfunctional families and issues of economic hardship were forcing parents to send their children to others for upbringing.
“We end up seeing that these children are being sent off to unwilling guardians. Rather than these children being shielded and protected, rather than being cared for or at least taken to places where they can be supervised, we see that this is not the case,” she said.
According to her, within the family setting, domestic violence against children arises because of frustration.
The lawyer, however, said society must protect the children.
“These are children whom our Constitution protects. They are supposed to be cared for and nurtured. They should have support systems that allow them to grow and become better citizens. We must rise to shield and protect them. We need to call ministries and agencies that have been set up to look into these matters to account,” she said.
She said abuse affects children deeply, including mentally and physically.
“Government needs to look in the mirror and acknowledge that what it has done is not enough. It can do more. The government agencies charged with the responsibility of ensuring social protection must do more.
“We already have laws that protect children. We have government policies that support and enable child protection. So, the relevant ministries and their agencies need to be up and doing.”
She urged NGOs to collaborate in educating people, demand accountability, and advocate for a better understanding that children must be shielded and protected.
“Violence is not tolerable in any form. Even when the perpetrators are women, they must be brought to justice. We must make examples of offenders so others understand that such conduct is unacceptable.
“The agencies responsible for the care and protection of children also have important responsibilities. Even when matters get to court, assessors and Social Welfare officers should properly assess these families, determine how best to support them, and always act in the best interest of the child,” she said.
Another lawyer, Jennifer Agbaji, said women who brutalise children may be battling underlying mental health challenges.
“In many instances, there may be underlying mental health challenges, unresolved trauma, prolonged stress, depression, or emotional instability that have gone unaddressed. None of these excuses abuse, but they help us understand that such behaviour is not normal,” she said.
According to her, anyone who repeatedly hurts a minor requires accountability, but they may also need psychological evaluation and appropriate mental health support.
Agbaji, who is the Executive Director of the Basileia Vulnerable Persons Rights Initiative, advocated for the establishment of specialised child protection courts.
“I believe specialised child protection courts would strengthen our child protection system. Cases involving children require speed, sensitivity, and expertise. Dedicated courts with trained judges, prosecutors, counsellors, and child-friendly procedures can reduce delays, minimise trauma for child victims, and improve the quality of justice delivered,” she said.
However, the lawyer said specialised courts should complement and not replace broader investments in prevention, social services, and community-based child protection.
Agbaji advised the government to adopt a comprehensive approach, including public awareness on positive parenting, and strengthening child protection systems
“The governments should strengthen child protection systems by adequately funding social welfare services, improving reporting and referral mechanisms, training professionals who work with children, and ensuring swift prosecution of offenders,” she said.
On the health impact, a child advocate, Dr. Ayodele Renner, said that depending on the mechanism or instrument used to harm the child, physical abuse leads to injuries that include fractures of the limbs, dislocations, lacerations, cuts, bruises, and burns.
He said apart from the physical pain, some of these injuries require surgery and even long-term rehabilitation.
Renner, who is a consultant paediatrician, says that physical abuse impacts children’s overall development.
He said, “If a child is in a home that lacks that nurturing environment, where the child is continuously subjected to domestic physical abuse, then the brain goes into a kind of survival mode.”
The child advocate urged the government, families, and individuals to protect the children.
“If a child is seriously harmed, injured, or loses their life as a result of a disciplinary measure that goes wrong, then those responsible are liable under the law. They should be prosecuted and jailed because there are laws that protect children from these forms of abuse.
“The Child Rights Act also needs to be implemented fully and consistently across all states so that it is clear the government is committed to protecting its children,” he said.
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