A child allegedly abused on camera should stop Nigeria in its tracks. What police say happened in Onitsha is too disturbing for another viral outrage cycle: a child’s alleged sexual exploitation demands protection, accountability, and immediate action.
The Anambra State Police Command says it arrested 36-year-old Anulika Onyeanusia and her husband after a disturbing video allegedly showing the incident circulated online. Police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga said investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the footage.
The gravity becomes even sharper because the alleged victim is a child, someone without the maturity, freedom, or power to consent. A child cannot become collateral damage in an adult’s pursuit of attention, money, influence, pleasure, or digital notoriety.
Nigeria must resist the temptation to consume such material merely as viral spectacle. Every replay can deepen humiliation, while careless sharing can permanently expand a child’s digital footprint. The internet forgets slowly; childhood trauma can last even longer.
Yet accountability must remain anchored in due process. Allegations are not convictions, and police claims must ultimately withstand investigation and judicial scrutiny. But protecting the child cannot wait for public opinion to settle; safeguarding must begin immediately and decisively.
This case should become more than another horrifying headline disappearing beneath tomorrow’s trending topic. It should provoke stronger child protection systems, responsible digital behaviour, vigilant communities, and relentless enforcement. A child is not content. A child is a human being.
– Inah Boniface Ocholi writes from Ayah – Igalamela/Odolu LGA, Kogi state.
08152094428 (SMS Only)
