Dear Okah Donli (DG of NAPTIP),
All protocols observed. I read with keen interest the above article in the Nation Newspapers of 6 July 2019 in respect of NAPTIP’s plan to open a register for sex offenders in Nigeria.
I completed my first degree training in Social work in the University of Nigeria Nsukka in the 1990s. I have more than 12 years’ experience of working as a social worker in the UK.
My professional view about this NAPTIP’s plan is that your agency is not the right public agency to carry out this function. Even if the Parliamentary Act that set up NAPTIP is amended; NAPTIP cannot function as a law enforcement agency. As the role of enforcement of law and order is the responsibility of the Nigeria Police and would remain so in the foreseeable future.
My stance is borne out of the fact that in all advanced countries that operate the sex offenders register; the Police Force usually carry out this function.
Without going into details, in the UK the inappropriate sexualised behavior that usually lead to conviction of sex offenders include: indecent exposure, asking a minor to touch your private part, ogling a woman, catcalling a woman, whistling at a woman/man in an inappropriate way, touching a woman in her bottom (bum), sexually harassing a woman/man, watching depraved videos in which minors are sexually abused, as well as circulating these videos. Pimping a minor for economic benefit, running a brothel that houses minors, CSE, sexual assault, statutory rape, marital rape and rape.
Based on my understanding of the Nigerian environment, the following could be added to the list above: forcing your under-18-year-old daughter to marry a man, impregnating a minor, sending a minor abroad and encouraging the minor to take part in prostitution with a view of the traffickers making economic gain, law enforcement agents (Police, Soldiers, Custom/Immigration Officers etc.), teachers, sports coaches, religious priests, imams, herbalist, civil servants and foreign Aid Workers abusing their position of trust by sleeping with minors. Furthermore, I have to add, “chasing” or making passes at a minor as well as spiking the drink of a minor in order to take sexual advantage of her.
Operating or running a sex offenders register is not rocket science but it is not a task that is meant for all comers. In the UK, you must be a Police Officer, registered social worker (either acting as a Case Manager or Probation Officer) and a safeguarding officer for other allied professions (Nursing, teaching, Psychology, Medicine, Women’s Aid, Housing and Immigration) before you can take part in the MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangement) meeting.
The Police working with other professionals will involve the Police taking the DNA swab of convicted offenders, the Police finger printing a convicted sex offender, the Police keeping a confidential list of all convicted sex offenders, the Police carrying out unannounced home visits to check on the offenders, enforcing and preventing these offenders from living close to the premises of a primary/secondary school, ensuring that offenders do not engage in employment where they could have access to vulnerable children/adults, working with social workers and Case Managers to ensure that convicted offenders attend their monitoring appointments with social workers and Youth Justice/Adult Justice workers, the Police checking the mobile phones and laptop/computers of convicted offenders, relevant professionals attending MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangement) meetings that is convened by the Social Work Department, updating social workers/Case Managers of the level of engagement of convicted offender with the Police and encouraging convicted offenders to engage in harm reduction treatment programmes. Furthermore, the Police have a responsibility to alert their counterpart in another country which any sex offender intends to travel to.
Though being on a sex offenders’ register generally limits the freedom of offenders taking part in some social activities; compared to other members of the public; they (sex offenders) are still entitled to a social life. In reality being former sex offenders limit the chances of these individuals from being gainfully employed in any decent job. As even after being de-registered sex offenders are often not trusted by would be employers.
I remember that in the past, one of my former clients was allowed to take part in a national youth games. But this was after the Police and other professionals that were involved in monitoring him; put in place a robust monitoring plan through the MAPPA mechanism. More importantly, confidential information on this particular client was shared with the appropriate safeguarding officer of the team as well as his foster care giver.
It is common practice for information on convicted sex offenders being kept confidential and only shared with relevant professionals that have done data protection training.
This is done in order to avoid reprisal from members of the community. However, I remember that in one of my former cases, due to the news of an alleged sexual assault being known by members of the public; the family home of the alleged perpetuators was attacked by some aggrieved members of the public. As a result, the Housing Department had to move the alleged perpetuators from the besieged house and his family were relocated to another secret location in another part of town.
Finally, I have to point out that operating a sex offenders’ register in Nigeria without it being led by the Police is an impossible task. This whole safeguarding process is case managed by Social Workers. I hear some people say “social wetin?” You like us, you hate us! Na so Children Right Act (2003) talk o!
Cornelius Ehimiaghe
CSED Initiative
www.csed.co.uk