Wike’s Aide Wants Parents of Underage Househelps Arrested

Summary: FCT Minister’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, has called for the arrest of parents who give out children under 15 years as househelps, following a wave of disturbing child abuse reports across Nigeria

The conversation around child labour and domestic servitude in Nigeria has taken a bold new turn, as Lere Olayinka, the media aide to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, has called for the arrest and prosecution of parents who send their children below the age of 15 to work as househelps.

Olayinka’s strong statement comes on the heels of a string of heartbreaking reports of young children being subjected to horrific abuse by their so-called guardians — stories that have continued to shake Nigerians to their core and spark outrage across social media.

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“It Is Child Abuse, Plain and Simple”

For many Nigerian families — especially those from lower-income backgrounds — sending a child to live and work in a more affluent home can seem like an opportunity. A chance for the child to “get better,” go to school, and escape poverty. But the reality, as Olayinka and many child rights advocates are pointing out, is often far darker.

Too many of these children end up as unpaid domestic workers, subjected to physical violence, emotional trauma, and in the worst cases, sexual abuse. No amount of economic justification makes that acceptable.

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The Law Is Already on Our Side

Nigeria is not without laws protecting children. The Child Rights Act* clearly sets out provisions against child labour and abuse. The problem, as many Nigerians know too well, is *enforcement — or the lack of it.

Olayinka’s call is essentially a demand that authorities stop looking the other way. If a parent willingly hands over a child of 10, 11, or 13 years to serve in someone’s household, that is not just poor parenting — it is a criminal act that deserves to be treated as such.

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A Wake-Up Call for Nigerian Society

This issue cuts deep into the fabric of Nigerian culture. The practice of sending young relatives or children from the village to live with wealthier families — sometimes called being an “omo-odo” or housegirl/houseboy — has existed for generations. But what was once framed as generosity or opportunity has repeatedly shown itself to be a gateway to exploitation.

It is time Nigerians, from families in rural communities to well-to-do households in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, have an honest conversation about what this system truly represents.

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The Bottom Line

Children deserve childhoods — not servitude. Lere Olayinka’s call may be bold, but it is not wrong. Parents must be held accountable. Guardians who abuse children must face the full wrath of the law. And as a society, Nigerians must collectively decide that no child’s suffering is acceptable in exchange for convenience or perceived opportunity.

If you know of a child being abused or unlawfully employed as a domestic worker, report it to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) or your nearest law enforcement agency.

> “A nation that does not protect its children has no future worth protecting.”

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