The Plateau State Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Caroline Panglang Dafur, has clarified government’s position on the controversy surrounding the welfare of four-year-old Bethel, a child whose social media popularity has drawn widespread attention.
Addressing journalists at the JD Gomwalk Secretariat in Jos, the commissioner said the ministry became alarmed after receiving reports that the child, despite her large online following of over 150,000 people, was sighted in public looking unkempt and begging. According to her, such developments raised genuine fears of exploitation, negligence, and possible violations of the Child Rights Act of 2003 alongside relevant state laws.
Dafur explained that in line with its mandate, the ministry extended invitations to Bethel’s parents and her manager, Mrs. Grace Joseph, on three different occasions earlier in August for a fact-finding dialogue. She noted that Mrs. Joseph failed to honour the invitations until she eventually appeared following the intervention of law enforcement.
The commissioner dismissed claims that her ministry ordered the shutdown of Bethel’s social media page, clarifying that the directive originated from another agency handling similar reports. She insisted that her office only sought constructive engagement with those involved, with the sole objective of safeguarding the child’s wellbeing.
While acknowledging that Mrs. Joseph may have acted with good intentions, Dafur stressed that the law does not permit children to be handed over, managed, or commercialised outside proper legal processes. She underscored that the Plateau State Government has both a legal and constitutional duty to protect children and vulnerable groups, insisting that the administration’s concern was not sentimental but focused on ensuring Bethel’s dignity and future are not compromised.
The press briefing, attended by civil society representatives and child protection advocates, ended with a resounding show of support for the commissioner’s intervention. Stakeholders present commended the ministry for taking proactive steps to uphold the rights of the child and reaffirmed their readiness to collaborate with government in protecting vulnerable minors across the state.
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