The Lagos State Government has issued a stern warning to content creators and digital media producers against involving children in online content that violates child protection laws.
The Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, and Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (LSDSVA), Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, gave this warning in a press statement jointly signed on Tuesday, February 3.
According to the statement, the State Government expressed deep concern over what they described as the increasing portrayal of children in content that undermines their dignity and safety.
Speaking on the violation, the state government said it has observed a troubling trend in which minors are being featured in videos, skits, and other digital productions that expose them to harm, ridicule, or exploitation in the name of entertainment and online engagement.
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Children are not props, and any form of depiction that places them in harmful or degrading situations goes beyond poor judgment and enters the realm of criminality, the statement added.
“Content creators are encouraged to be mindful of the long-term psychological, emotional, and social impact such content may have on children, as well as the legal implications for adults responsible for producing or sharing it,” the statement partly read.
Speaking further, the Lagos Government cited several existing laws that clearly prohibit the exploitation of minors. These include provisions of the Child’s Rights Law of Lagos State (2015), the Criminal Law of Lagos State (2015), and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act (2015).
Officials explained that under these laws, creating, distributing, or profiting from content that sexualises, abuses, or endangers children is a serious criminal offence. Specific sections prohibit exploitative child labour, physical and emotional *buse, s3xual offences against minors, child p*rnography, cyberstalking, and online harassment.
The statement further noted that Section 32 of the Child’s Rights Act prescribes up to 14 years’ imprisonment for anyone found guilty of sexually abusing or exploiting a child.
The government stressed that there would be no leniency for offenders, regardless of their popularity or online following. It reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on all forms of child abuse and warned that ignorance of the law would not serve as a defence.
“We hereby reaffirm the Lagos State Government’s zero-tolerance stance against all forms of child *buse and remain committed to promoting responsible content creation and protecting children from harm,” the statement added.
