Outrage as CUDA Officials Allegedly Flog Street Children in Calabar, Sparks Calls for Justice
Civil society organizations and child rights advocates have condemned the alleged arrest, detention, and flogging of street children by officials of the Calabar Urban Development Authority (CUDA) in Cross River State, describing the incident as a serious violation of children’s rights and existing child protection laws.
The incident, reported to have occurred on March 19, 2026, allegedly involved the rounding up of children at the Mary Slessor Roundabout in Calabar and their subsequent transportation to the Zoo Garden, where they were subjected to inhumane treatment.
Executive Director of Street Priests, Godwin O’Hara, said his organization received a distress call from a volunteer and mobilized to the scene, where they encountered frightened children fleeing the area. He alleged that the children reported that their peers had been taken away by officials.
“We traced the vehicle conveying the children to the Zoo Garden. What we found was disturbing. The children were tied, lying on the ground and crying, while officials were flogging them with machetes,” O’Hara said.
He further alleged that members of his team who attempted to intervene were assaulted by the officials, adding that a colleague was slapped while another was hit in the mouth. According to him, five children were eventually freed following the intervention.
Reacting to the development, the Child Protection Network (CPN), Cross River State chapter, in a statement, described the alleged actions as barbaric, unlawful, and a gross violation of the Cross River State Child Rights Law, 2023.
The group noted that the law prohibits all forms of violence against children and requires that children in need of care or in conflict with the law be treated with dignity and due process. It also condemned the alleged assault on members of Street Priests, describing it as an attack on child protection advocates.
CPN called on Governor Bassey Otu to order an immediate investigation into the incident and ensure that those found culpable are prosecuted. It also urged relevant ministries, including Women Affairs and Social Welfare, to provide medical care, psychosocial support, and rehabilitation for the affected children.
Meanwhile, the state government has vowed to take action over the alleged maltreatment. The governor’s wife, Eyoanwan Otu, condemned the incident, describing it as disturbing and unacceptable, and stressed that every child deserves protection, dignity, and care.
She called for a thorough investigation and accountability, adding that efforts are ongoing to develop sustainable solutions aimed at rehabilitating and reintegrating children living on the streets.
