The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Rivers State Chapter, has called for justice against a Port Harcourt-based Pastor, who was captured on a video that has gone viral, flogging minors during a deliverance session in a church setting.
NAWOJ, which expressed outrage in a statement signed by its secretary, Comrade Susan Serekara-Nwikhana, Chairperson, condemned the treatment meted out to the minors by Pastor Ifediorah Joseph, and stressed that minors should not be dehumanised on religious grounds.
The Rivers State Police Command, in response to the video, arrested Pastor Ifediorah Joseph, a man aged 41, who had organised a 3-day programme for children in his Church, purportedly for “spiritual cleaning.”
Joseph said that the programme had been inspired by the Holy Spirit, according to SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, who revealed that some church members were also arrested alongside the pastor.
Following the arrests, NAWOJ has appealed to the command to swiftly carry out its prosecution and ensure that justice is not delayed, just as it questioned the role of parents in allowing such incidents to occur under the guise of spiritual cleansing.
It described the incident as “inhumane, barbaric, and a gross violation of children’s rights,” and urged parents, especially mothers, to safeguard their children from harm rather than “allow them to be subjected to such cruel and degrading treatment.”
While it commended “the Rivers State Police Command for its swift and decisive action in arresting the presiding pastor, Pastor Ifediorah Joseph, and other individuals linked to the incident,” it, however, urged the command to ensure that the prosecution process is swift and thorough, so justice is not delayed.
“Children deserve love, care, and dignity, not abuse disguised as spirituality. We call on all stakeholders, including religious leaders, community heads, and civil society organisations, to work together to protect the rights of our children,” the statement read.
NAWOJ also reaffirmed its commitment “to advocating for the rights and welfare of women and children while calling for sustained public enlightenment on the dangers of child abuse and the importance of timely reporting to relevant authorities.”
