The Lagos State Government on Monday warned that sharing or receiving images depicting child pornography is an offense under its laws that can attract a sentence of up to 14 years.
The warning comes amid reports that some students of Chrisland schools were involved in a case of alleged sexual violence in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The government had ordered the shutdown of all Chrisland schools within the state pending further investigations into the matter.
“We also use this medium to remind the general public that any person who engages in any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a child, commits an offence and is liable to custodial sentence of fourteen (14) years,” the government said.
“This includes ‘producing, distributing, receiving, or possessing an image of child pornography’”.
A video showing the mother of an alleged victim calling for help went viral on Monday, sparking controversy and debate.
She claimed that Chrisland had sought to cover up the matter. In the video shared by one Ubi Franklin, she further claimed that Chrisland suspended her daughter once the school found out she was aware of the gravity of the alleged abuse.
In an indefinite suspension letter sighted by NewsWireNGR, and signed by Chrisland’s Head Teacher, G.I. Azike, the school said the alleged victim “with a few of her counterparts willfully participated in a game they called ‘Truth or Dare’, a game which led her and a few other co-learners to carry out immoral act after the lights out instruction was given.”
The school said all efforts to inform her parent about the incident “has proved to be futile.”
In reaction to the controversy, the Lagos State Police Command said it would ensure that justice is served.
In a statement on Monday, the spokesman for the command, Benjamin Hundeyin, explained that the police have commenced an investigation to ascertain the identities of those involved and to gather other relevant information.
“The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to an alleged rape video purportedly depicting students of Chrisland School Lagos, going viral on social media,” said Hundeyin who is a Superintendent of Police.
“The command has commenced investigations into the matter with a view to establishing the identities of the players in the video, the true incident in the video, the geographical location of the incident, the alleged threat to life against a student of the school, and circumstances surrounding the alleged repeated pregnancy tests conducted on a student without parental consent.
“The command is equally taking cognisance of the cybercrime angle to the whole episode and would not hesitate to enlist the support of the Interpol should the need arise. For a holistic and unbiased investigation, the command shall be working with relevant ministries, departments, agencies, and non-governmental organisations.”
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