Child Safety First: Why NAPTIP’s Review in the Wake of the Simi Backlash Matters for Child Safeguarding
What started as resurfaced tweets has grown into a national conversation about child safety, accountability, and the standards expected in daycare settings across Nigeria.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says it will investigate credible reports following public calls to review allegations linked to singer Simisola “Simi” Kosoko and her mother’s daycare centre.
The backlash erupted after social media users recirculated posts from 2012 in which the singer allegedly wrote about a four-year-old child “having a crush on her and acting like he wants loc lip,” and in another post, that the same child was “trying to put hand inside my shet (sic).”
Critics online described the comments as inappropriate. Simi, however, said the tweets were made when she was 23 and assisting at her mother’s daycare. She has maintained that the posts were misinterpreted and manipulated to fit misleading narratives, insisting she has never acted immorally.
In response to the concerns, NAPTIP stated it is committed to investigating all credible reports and urged anyone with factual information, evidence, or direct knowledge to come forward confidentially.
WHY IS THIS A CONCERN?
Beyond the social media storm lies a more important issue: safeguarding.
Child protection systems are not triggered only by confirmed abuse. They are designed to examine risk, reinforce professional boundaries, and maintain public trust. Daycare centres operate on confidence. Parents must believe their children are safe, supervised, and protected by clear ethical standards.
An institutional review does not equal guilt. It represents due process. If credible evidence exists, it must be addressed. If not, transparency helps restore trust.
Safeguarding must apply consistently, regardless of status or public profile. When concerns arise, they deserve structured, evidence-based assessment, not trial by social media.
Ultimately, this moment is about more than a celebrity. It is about ensuring that Nigeria remains a society where children feel safe, where caregivers are held to clear standards, and where parents can confidently entrust their children to those tasked with their care. Child safety must always come first.
