By Isaac Mission
A former media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, Lere Olayinka, has urged the Federal Government to reconsider the continued unrestricted operation of TikTok in Nigeria following a disturbing child abuse case reported in Anambra State.
Olayinka said authorities should either impose stronger controls on the platform or consider banning it if adequate measures cannot be put in place to prevent its misuse, particularly in cases involving the exploitation of children.
His call followed the arrest of a 36-year-old woman, Anulika Onyeanusia, by the Anambra State Police Command over an alleged child pornography case in Onitsha.
The incident reportedly came to the attention of the authorities after a disturbing video involving a minor circulated online. According to the police, officers acted on intelligence gathered through open-source monitoring and arrested the suspect on Thursday, September 10.
Reacting to the development, Olayinka questioned whether TikTok's existing safeguards are sufficient to prevent the platform from being used to distribute harmful material involving children or to generate financial benefits from such content.
He argued that the matter should go beyond the prosecution of an individual suspect and trigger a broader conversation about digital platforms, child protection and online safety in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Anambra Police Command said its investigation is ongoing.
Police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the arrest and disclosed that four children, aged two, three, six and nine, were rescued during the operation.
According to the command, investigators also recovered items considered relevant to the case. The suspect remains in police custody, while her husband is being questioned as detectives work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged offence and determine whether other individuals were involved.
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, condemned the alleged incident and ordered a comprehensive investigation.
He also directed that the rescued children be given the necessary protection and care, stressing that their safety, dignity and wellbeing remain a priority.
The police said they would collaborate with relevant child-protection and support organisations to provide the children with counselling and other forms of assistance needed during their recovery.
Authorities further assured that the identities and privacy of the children would be protected throughout the investigation and any subsequent legal proceedings.
The command commended residents, vigilante groups and bloggers whose information helped investigators identify and apprehend the suspect.
Olayinka's demand comes amid continuing concerns over the ability of social media platforms to prevent the spread of harmful content involving minors. Although major platforms, including TikTok, maintain policies prohibiting child sexual exploitation, enforcement remains a subject of concern among governments and law-enforcement agencies.
Nigeria has previously taken regulatory action against major social media platforms. In 2021, the Federal Government suspended Twitter's operations in the country, citing national security concerns. The ban was eventually lifted in January 2022 following engagements between the government and the platform.