The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, has commenced a full investigation into alleged child molestation and abuse in a daycare setting in Lagos, based on suggestive online posts by Simi.
According to a statement released on Friday by NAPTIP, the Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, announced the commencement of full investigations following renewed controversy over old tweets linked to alleged child sexual misconduct.
“Director-General Binta Adamu Bello has directed operatives of the agency to commence a full-scale investigation into the alleged child molestation and abuse in a daycare setting in Lagos, based on suggestive online posts linked to a popular Nigerian singer,” the statement said.
The agency had earlier appealed to the general public for anyone directly involved to reach out to them.
However, in the early hours of Friday, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, ordered an immediate investigation into the matter.
Simi, the Joromi crooner, has been facing paedophile allegations from netizens over her old tweets involving a four-year-old boy at her mother’s daycare in Lagos.
Preliminarily, the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, during her appearance on Channels Television’s programme Morning Brief on Thursday, February 26, referred Simi to the Nigerian Police for a full-scale investigation.
Vivour-Adeniyi said the Lagos State Government had been monitoring developments after old tweets, allegedly posted by the singer in 2012 and 2014, resurfaced online and sparked public concern.
“I can speak for what Lagos State is doing,” she said.
According to her, the state decided to involve the police to establish the facts surrounding the allegations.
“What we have done is to refer the case to the Commissioner of Police to at least conduct some preliminary investigation,” Vivour-Adeniyi said.
She added that the alleged incident may have taken place in a crèche reportedly run by the singer’s mother.
She, however, noted that prosecution would be difficult without a complainant and appealed to anyone who may have been affected to come forward.
“It is going to be very difficult to prosecute Simi without a survivor being present. We encourage anyone who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Simi to come forward and make a statement so the process can begin,” she said.
Earlier, NAPTIP had also called on members of the public to assist with information related to the allegations, following growing discussions around alleged child sexual abuse and misconduct in daycare centres across Nigeria.
“We are committed to thoroughly investigating credible reports,” the agency said in a public notice.
The singer later addressed the controversy, insisting that the tweets were innocent jokes taken out of context. She denied any wrongdoing and said she has always spoken against rape and sexual assault.
“Fourteen years ago, I was 23, so I was definitely not a child. I’m not here to make excuses because I don’t have anything to make excuses for. What I can’t let anyone do is twist my story to fit false narratives. I have always spoken against rape and sexual assault even before you knew I existed,” she said.
NAPTIP has again urged anyone with clear information, evidence, direct knowledge, or personal experience related to the allegations to contact the agency privately so investigations can proceed.
Simi: NAPTIP begins full investigations into alleged child sexual misconduct
