The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Tuesday, February 24, requested evidence following allegations of sexual abuse linked to Afrobeats singer Simisola Kosoko, popularly known as Simi.
The allegations began on Saturday after Simi’s tweets where she described her interactions with children at her mother’s daycare, including comments about their behavior and her experiences as a caregiver from 2012, resurfaced.
Simi addressed the allegations on Sunday, stating that the decade-old tweets were being deliberately misinterpreted to construct a misleading narrative.
She maintained that the posts were innocent descriptions of her interactions with the children and expressed disappointment that they were being used to undermine her long-standing advocacy against rape culture and sexual assault.
However, on Monday, an X user identified as Sidney came forward, claiming to have been abused as a five-year-old child at the singer’s mother’s daycare centre.
“I had to summon courage to come forward and tell my story about Simi and her mother’s daycare.
“I remember it in fragments. I was just five years old when my mother dropped me off at Simi’s mum’s daycare.
“Back then, I didn’t even have the language to explain what was happening. I only knew that something felt wrong.
“She was trusted, Simi smiled in front of parents, spoke softly, prayed loudly, but behind closed doors, that softness disappeared.
“The room would go quiet in a different way, heavy, suffocating.
“There were things she did to me, to us that no child should ever experience.
“Things I buried so deep that for years I convinced myself they weren’t real.
“I told myself I was too young to remember clearly, that maybe I misunderstood,” he wrote.
Sidney stated that he is coming forward to break the cycle of silence, urging other potential victims to realize they are no longer alone.
“Today, I’m typing this with shaking hands and tears in my eyes, not because I want pity but because silence protects people like her and it traps people like us.
“If you were a child and something felt wrong, it probably was, and if you’re still carrying it in silence, you’re not alone anymore,” he added.
In a statement released via its X account, NAPTIP said it is committed to thoroughly investigating all credible reports and urged anyone with evidence to reach out confidentially.
“We kindly request anyone with factual information, evidence, direct knowledge, or who was personally affected by the matters referenced in the viral posts or related experiences to reach out to us confidentially via dm or email at [email protected],” the agency stated.
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