Book

Description

The proliferation of digital technology and social media has transformed child sexual exploitation into a borderless crime. Child pornography, defined as any visual depiction of a child engaged in sexual conduct, now thrives on encrypted platforms, WhatsApp groups, and the dark web. In Nigeria, this has created a critical tension between constitutional guarantees of dignity and the state’s duty to protect children under the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003. This project examined the adequacy of Nigeria’s legal and institutional framework in preventing, prosecuting, and providing redress for victims of child pornography. The study adopted doctrinal and case-based analysis. It evaluated key statutes which included the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the Child Rights Act 2003, the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015, against Nigeria’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography. Using real-life cases, the research highlighted the urgency of the problem. In Nigeria Police Force v Members of “Pervertidos” Syndicate 2021, seven suspects were arrested for running a WhatsApp group used to share nude images of children and to groom minors for sexual abuse. The case exposed how offenders exploit digital anonymity and weak inter-agency collaboration. The findings revealed four critical gaps: (i) Fragmented protection due to non-domestication of the CRA 2003 nationwide (ii) Weak digital forensic capacity and poor synergy between NPF, NAPTIP, EFCC, NHRC, and INTERPOL NCB Abuja; (iii) Inadequate victim-centered remedies such as compensation, rehabilitation, and witness protection; and (iv) Low public awareness of reporting channels such as the NHRC toll-free line 6472. The project concluded by recommending the universal domestication of the CRA, establishment of a joint Cyber-Child Protection Taskforce, amendment of the Cybercrimes Act to increase penalties and mandate platform reporting, and adoption of a victim-centered approach in line with international best practice.