In accordance with the state’s domestic and sexual violence statute, the Lagos State administration has declared that anyone found posting or forwarding child pornography and offensive articles about children on social media faces a 14-year prison sentence.

This was revealed at a one-day training for Lagos’s head teachers, teachers, social workers, and school counselors by Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency. According to the Lagos State domestic and sexual abuse statute, sending child pornography can result in up to 14 years in prison, she claimed.

“Child pornography and obscene publications are illegal, and our goal is to raise awareness of this and discourage people from sharing such offensive recordings, particularly on social media. We are well aware that watching pornography can negatively affect a viewer’s cognitive functioning. Therefore, it is crucial that we notify our participants, guidance counselors, teachers, and school directors, particularly when it comes to children.

According to Vivour-Adeniyi, the Lagos State administration has been strengthening stakeholders’ ability to defend children’s rights over the years. She went on to say that the session was organized for the attendees because school counselors, social workers, and school administrators are essential in making sure that the rights of the children under their supervision are sufficiently protected.

The reason for this is that they are required reporters. In cases of domestic and sexual violence, they have an obligation to observe, speak, and take action.

Since enlightenment is, in our opinion, far superior to enforcement, we regularly carry out this type of activity in which we strengthen the capacity of these important service providers by providing them with pertinent information about laws pertaining to these matters and discussing their roles in the hopes that they will be better able to prevent and appropriately respond to child protection disclosures that may occur in their institutions.