Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has launched a manhunt for a yet-to-be-identified man captured in a viral video brutally flogging a toddler with what appears to be a charger cable. The video, shared on X by @NigeriaStories on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, shows a shirtless man wearing green athletic shorts repeatedly striking the child on the head and body as she cries on a tiled floor. The beating knocks the toddler to the ground, and she can be seen using her hands to shield her head from the cable. The man is also heard speaking aggressively to the child, saying, “Ori αΊΉ o ma pe,” a Yoruba expression often used to suggest “knocking sense into someone,” before bending down and forcing the crying child back to her feet. The location of the incident and the man’s relationship to the child have not been confirmed.
Reacting to the video, NAPTIP said in a statement on its official X handle that child abuse would not be tolerated. “We have noted the viral video and are working with relevant security agencies to identify, locate, and prosecute the perpetrator to the full extent of the law,” the agency said. NAPTIP urged anyone with useful information that could assist in identifying or locating the man to contact the agency through direct message, email at info@naptip.gov.ng, or the shortcode 627. The agency reaffirmed its commitment to protecting children and ensuring that anyone responsible for such acts faces the law.
The video has sparked widespread condemnation across social media, with many Nigerians calling for the immediate arrest of both the man and the person recording the assault. One user, Samuel Owoeye, said, “I am sure she is between 2-3 yrs. The guy beating her and the person recording her are heartless. This is too much and it shows it’s not the first time.” Another user, @SKRajiTech, said, “This guy and the person recording needed to be identified and arrested. The child should NEVER EVER be released to them or any of their family member.” @Kuffor_Lee wrote, “Sometimes I feel like people just do things intentionally just to go to jail or something cause how can a normal sane person be doing this and you still get mind dey record yourself come still post am join!! The heart of men are truly evil”. Other users questioned why the person recording the video did not intervene to stop the beating rather than filming it.
The incident has also reignited the conversation about the thin line between discipline and child abuse in many Nigerian homes. While corporal punishment is widely accepted as a disciplinary measure in Nigeria, critics argue that the severity of the beating shown in the video crosses the line into cruelty. The case adds to a growing list of child abuse incidents that have drawn public attention in recent months, including the arrest of a 37-year-old woman in Anambra for allegedly beating her three-year-old granddaughter to death and the probe of an Edo mother over a viral video involving her toddler. For now, NAPTIP’s manhunt continues, and the agency has appealed to the public for information that could lead to the suspect’s arrest and prosecution.
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