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Group Urges NASS to Speedily Pass Child Online Safety Bill
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…say Nigerian children face growing threats of cyberbullying, grooming and oline exploitation
By Gloria Ikibah
Child rights advocates have called on the National Assembly to fast-track the passage of a bill aimed at protecting Nigerian children from online abuse, cyberbullying, exploitation and other digital threats.
The appeal was made during a stakeholders’ roundtable in Abuja on Friday, where campaigners, legal experts and education stakeholders expressed concern over the increasing dangers facing children in the digital space.
At the centre of the discussions was the proposed “Child Online Access Protection and Online Violence Against Nigerian Child Bill”, which seeks to criminalise various forms of online abuse targeting minors and establish stronger safeguards for children using the internet.
The proposed legislation also seeks to introduce a 0.02 per cent levy on the assessable profits of search engines, telecommunications service providers, artificial intelligence companies, gaming platforms, streaming services and social media application vendors operating in Nigeria to support implementation of the law.
The call comes against the backdrop of a 2018 UNICEF report which revealed that a new child goes online every half second globally. The report also highlighted the scale of the challenge in Nigeria, where about 90 per cent of children are exposed to online risks, including cyberbullying, inappropriate content and exploitation.
Speaking at the event, the Country Director of Lawyers Without Borders in Nigeria, Ms Angela Uzoma, said the proposed legislation will have a direct impact on the lives of millions of Nigerian children.
According to her, widespread access to digital devices has increased children’s exposure to online dangers, making legal protection more urgent than ever.
She said: “So every Nigerian, whether you are a biological parent or not, whether you are an aunt or an uncle, whether you are a child or an adult, you should be interested and should support this bill.
“When we talk about online harms that children are exposed to, it ranges from issues around cyber bullying, grooming, child exposure to sexualual violence, sexual abuse.
“We have children being groomed, we have children, being threatened online. We have children, we have predators, pretending to be children and targeting children.
“We have sextortion going on, children are being tricked into exposing intimate parts of their bodies, to adults, who are hiding and pretending to be children.
“So everyone in Nigeria should be interested in having joining their voices to call on the Nigerian Senate to pass this bill.”
Uzoma noted that nearly 90 per cent of Nigerian children now have access to digital devices either at home, in school or through friends, exposing them to a broad range of online threats and abuse.
Also speaking, Coordinator of the General Unit at the National Assembly, Ms Christiana Eguma, said the bill was designed to improve online safety for children in an increasingly digital world.
She observed that many children access the internet without adequate supervision, making them vulnerable to harmful content and online predators.
Eguma explained that the legislation would also place responsibility on digital platforms to proactively prevent abuse and harmful content targeting children.
“It puts accountability on the platform themselves so that they can take responsibility of putting down some of these negative things early enough.
“It seeks to ensure that from the parents to the school, to the children, everybody is responsible enough to protect children online.
“So the bill seeks to ensure children are protected from the adult, and from even their own peers that are bullies, and we are calling on the National Assembly to pass the bill so that the Nigerian children can be protected from all harm,” she said.
On his part, education advocate Mr Oluwasesan Ifegbesan stressed that safeguarding children online should be a collective responsibility.
He called on parents, educators and the wider public to remain vigilant and actively guide children on the safe use of the internet and social media platforms.
Stakeholders at the roundtable agreed that while technology offers significant opportunities for learning and development, stronger legal protections and greater public awareness are needed to shield children from growing online threats.
They expressed optimism that the proposed legislation, if passed, would strengthen Nigeria’s child protection framework and help create a safer digital environment for millions of young internet users across the country.
Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has dismissed claims that the Mexican government rejected his diplomatic appointment, attributing his delayed resumption instead to the ongoing FIFA World Cup being co-hosted by Mexico and the United States.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today last Monday, the former presidential aide said the delay was due to logistical and diplomatic considerations linked to the global football tournament, stressing that he was not the only Nigerian envoy yet to assume duty. Omokri said reports suggesting that Mexico had declined to accept him as Nigeria’s ambassador were false and were being promoted by political opponents.
“Mexico has not rejected me. Not at all,” he said.Politics He explained that the Mexican government is currently focused on hosting the World Cup alongside the United States, leaving little room to process the arrival of new diplomats. “You should understand that Mexico is right now hosting the World Cup, along with the United States of America, and all of their focus is on that,” Omokri stated.
According to him, several Nigerian ambassadors-designate are also yet to resume at their respective postings for similar reasons.Executive Branch “Most of us ambassadors have not resumed. So, I’m not the only one. A lot of my colleagues are in my situation, but it’s okay. These things happen,” he said. The ambassador-designate also accused members of the opposition of spreading misleading narratives about his appointment, insisting that such claims have no basis in reality. “The opposition will always say things like I have been rejected. We do not work on the basis of the opposition. We work on the basis of reality,” he said.
Omokri expressed confidence that Nigeria continues to enjoy cordial diplomatic relations with countries around the world and maintained that host nations would receive Nigerian envoys in due course. “The reality of it is that we have countries in the world that respect Nigeria, and they’re going to be taking Nigeria’s envoys,” he added.
A young Nigerian girl who was trafficked to Cotonou, Benin Republice for prostitution has d!ed.
Sewuese passed away on Friday, July 24, 2026 in Benue State after she was brought home.
Activist, Zege Orkwande, who has been facilitating the rescue of trafficked Benue girls said investigation is ongoing and those who trafficked her will face the full wrath of law.
“People are asking “who took Sewuese to Cotonou”. Trust my process,” he wrote.
“The people that trafficked/smuggled her to Cotonou for prostitution will sure face the law and serve in prison uniform.
“All information gathered. I’m waiting for her to be buried first. REST WELL.”
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has launched a probe into the alleged withholding of operational funds approved by President Bola Tinubu for six federal information agencies by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
The investigation follows reports by Premium Times alleging that the Permanent Secretary failed to process payment files for the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Voice of Nigeria (VON), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), National Orientation Agency (NOA), and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), despite presidential approval. The delay reportedly affected the operations of the agencies, with sources alleging that Mrs. Ukaire insisted that agency heads make detailed presentations on their projects and financial utilisation before the payments could be processed.
Agency heads and civil service experts reportedly argued that the demand contravened established procedures.
They cited a circular from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), which directs supervising ministries not to interfere in the financial administration of parastatals, noting that the agencies are accountable to their governing boards and supervising ministers rather than the Permanent Secretary for routine operational releases.
In response to the allegations, the ICPC invited Mrs. Ukaire and the heads of the affected agencies for questioning to determine the circumstances surrounding the delayed funds. Although those invited were questioned, no one was detained, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Following the report and the ICPC’s intervention, Mrs. Ukaire reportedly approved the payment files and forwarded them for disbursement. Heads of the affected agencies confirmed that the documents have now been transmitted and are awaiting final release into their respective accounts, bringing relief after months of uncertainty.
Source: Rewritten from a report by Premium Times without altering the original facts.
Ambassador Omokri Amid Rejection Rumours Says World Cup Cause of his delayed resumption
Sad: Young Nigerian reportedly trafficked for commercial s*x dies after rescue
ICPC investigates Permanent Secretary over delayed Tinubu’s approved agency funds
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