24/03/2026
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Calabar, Cross River State – 24th March, 2026
CHILD PROTECTION NETWORK NIGERIA, CROSS RIVER STATE CHAPTER STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE BARBARIC ARREST, TORTURE AND FLOGGING OF CHILDREN BY CALABAR URBAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (CUDA) OFFICIALS AND THE ASSAULT ON STAFF OF STREET PRIESTS CSO
The Child Protection Network Nigeria (CPN), Cross River State Chapter, is outraged and unequivocally condemns the inhumane and unlawful actions of officials of the Calabar Urban Development Authority (CUDA) who, on or about 19th March 2026, arrested several children, transported them to the Zoo Garden in Calabar, tied them up and subjected them to severe flogging with machetes.
This act of physical violence and brutality against children is a gross violation of the Cross River State Child Rights Law, 2023, which explicitly prohibits all forms of physical and mental violence against children and mandates the protection of every child from abuse, torture and degrading treatment. The law further requires that children in conflict with the law or in need of care be handled with dignity, care and in accordance with due process — not through jungle justice and machete-wielding punishment.
Equally condemnable is the physical assault meted out on staff of Street Priests, a reputable Child-Focused Civil Society Organisation (CSO) based in Calabar, who courageously intervened to protect the children. Reports indicate that these humanitarian workers were slapped, kicked and manhandled by the same Government officials simply for carrying out their legitimate duty of child protection. This attack on frontline child rights defenders is unacceptable and constitutes a direct threat to the safety of all civil society actors working to uphold the rights of vulnerable children in the state.
No government agency or official has the right to take the law into their own hands or inflict cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment on children. Such actions not only violate the Child Rights Law but also undermine the fundamental principles of justice, child protection and good governance.
We therefore call on:
1. His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Otu, Governor of Cross River State, to immediately direct the relevant authorities to investigate this incident and ensure that the perpetrators are identified, sanctioned and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
2. The Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs, to treat this matter as a priority child protection emergency and activate all necessary mechanisms to safeguard the affected children and prevent future occurrences.
3. The Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Social Welfare and Community Development, to provide immediate psychosocial support, medical care and rehabilitation for the traumatised children and to strengthen inter-agency collaboration on child protection.
4. All relevant stakeholders — including the Ministry of Justice, the Nigeria Police Force, the National Human Rights Commission and other child rights organisations — to rise to the occasion and ensure that this dastardly act does not go unpunished.
The CPN remains committed to the full implementation of the Cross River State Child Rights Law, 2023, and will continue to monitor this case closely.
We demand justice for these children. We demand accountability from public officials. We demand an end to the culture of impunity and violence against the most vulnerable members of our society.
Kebe Ikpi
State Coordinator
Child Protection Network Nigeria,
Cross River State Chapter
