The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has said it will investigate any credible reports following a surge in social media discussions around alleged child abuse or misconduct in daycare settings in Nigeria.
The renewed attention follows the resurfacing of old posts on X by singer Simi, dating back to 2012 and 2013, in which she spoke about helping at her mother’s daycare.
Some users online interpreted parts of those posts as inappropriate, while others strongly rejected that reading.
The conversation gained wider prominence after Simi publicly spoke out against rape culture on social media. Critics subsequently shifted focus to her historical posts about children at the daycare.
In a statement on X, Simi defended the posts as innocent reflections of everyday life at the time, explaining that she was 23 years old, not famous, and frequently tweeted about routine experiences.
“In 2012, I lived and helped out at my mom’s daycare while I was hustling my music. I tweeted everything that happened in my life, as we all did at the time,” she said, adding that her comments reflected normal, non-sexual interactions with children.
Despite the clarification, some users continued to call for a formal review, urging authorities to examine the daycare more closely.
Responding on Tuesday, NAPTIP issued a public notice on its official X page, stating that it remains committed to investigating all credible reports of child abuse or misconduct in daycare environments.
The agency invited anyone with factual information, evidence, or direct knowledge of relevant incidents to contact it confidentially via direct message or by email at [email protected].
NAPTIP did not specify which posts, individuals, or locations were being referenced in its notice.
