Lagos, Nigeria – February 25, 2026 – The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has officially declared its commitment to investigating allegations of child sexual abuse and misconduct in daycare settings, following public outcry over decade-old tweets by popular Nigerian singer Simisola “Simi” Kosoko that have resurfaced and gone viral.
The controversy erupted after netizens unearthed posts from Simi’s X account dating between 2012 and 2015, when the singer was 23-24 years old, allegedly containing inappropriate remarks about toddlers at her mother’s daycare centre. The backlash intensified following the singer’s vocal stance against sexual assault in the wake of TikToker Mirabel’s now-retracted rape allegation.
The Allegations
Social media users accused the “Duduke” crooner of pedophilia after old posts resurfaced showing the singer making comments that critics describe as sexually inappropriate about children in her care.
In one of the most circulated tweets dated March 14, 2012, Simi wrote: “David has a crush on me. He kips comn close; actin lik he wana lock lips n den he puts his head on my lap.Shd I giv him a chance? P.S: Hes 4.”
Another post from February 17, 2012 read: “Ok so dis 4 year old kid is lying next to me……practically almost kissing me cos he’s gazing in2 my fone *blink* I’m nt abt 2brk d boys heart.”
On June 1, 2013, she tweeted: “I love to kiss d kids at my mum’s daycare – they’re super adorable and I’m crazy about ’em.”
An October 28, 2015 tweet stated: “I think I’m slightly obsessed with this child.”
In one particularly controversial post, Simi allegedly wrote: “This 4 years old boy’s D is good. I’m not sorry.”
Simi’s Defense
Responding to the backlash in a lengthy statement on Sunday, the 37-year-old singer said she was alerted to the resurfaced tweets and felt compelled to address the situation.
“I haven’t been on Twitter today – but someone brought a few of my old tweets to my attention, and I can’t not address it. 14 years ago, I was 23, so I was definitely not a child. I’m not here to make excuses because I don’t have anything to make excuses for,” she wrote.
Simi explained that the posts dated back to when she was living with her mother and assisting at her mother’s daycare centre while pursuing her music career.
“In 2012, I lived and helped out at my mom’s daycare while I was hustling my music. I tweeted everything that happened in my life, as we all did at the time. Kids can be mischievous. If a child did something I found funny, I tweeted about it. Kids are cute and lovable. I want to hug, kiss and cuddle them. I tweet about it. Nothing I tweeted was from perversion,” she stated.
The singer rejected attempts to frame her past remarks within what she described as false narratives, insisting she had never engaged in depraved behaviour.
“I was not famous, so maybe if I was, I would have understood that anything is open to whatever interpretation, including being used falsely by a faceless mob. I’ve never been depraved in my life. You can retweet all the tweets in the world about me loudly crushing on people I admire/d and or being a cheeky young woman. I wasn’t trying to hide it, because I don’t have anything to hide,” she said.
Simi also revealed that her team had begun deleting some of the old posts out of consideration for her family, despite her initial reluctance to remove them.
She reaffirmed her consistent stance against sexual violence: “I have always spoken against rape and sexual assault, even before you knew I existed. It’s not a costume I’m wearing, it’s who I am. I’ve never claimed to be perfect. I’ve never claimed to know everything. I said stop raping women. I stand by it.”
The Mirabel Connection
The 37-year-old came under scrutiny after speaking out about growing concerns over sexual assault in Nigeria, following TikToker Mirabel’s allegation of being raped in her apartment. When Mirabel later admitted the claim was false, netizens unearthed several of Simi’s posts dating back to 2012.
Her admission prompted renewed calls from netizens for relevant authorities to investigate the matter and take decisive action.
NAPTIP’s Official Response
In response to the concerns raised, NAPTIP issued a statement on Tuesday via its official channels, confirming its commitment to investigating credible reports.
“Following recent public discussions and concerns raised regarding alleged incidents of child sexual abuse/misconduct in daycare settings in Nigeria, we are committed to thoroughly investigating credible reports,” the agency stated.
NAPTIP urged anyone with factual information, evidence, direct knowledge, or those personally affected by the matters referenced in the viral posts to reach out confidentially via direct message or email at info@naptip.gov.ng.
“We take all reports of child sexual abuse/misconduct seriously and are committed to investigating every credible claim,” the agency added.
Public Reaction Divided
The case has polarized public opinion, with some Nigerians calling for thorough investigation and possible prosecution, while others argue the tweets are being taken out of context.
An X user, @captainleke, wrote: “4years old child!!! Lock this pedophile up.”
Another user, @prudentsammy, commented: “You would think she is a saint, lmaooo. ‘Don’t rape girl child’ When you are sexualizing a 4 years old boy. Pathetic fr! Gbimi oshi.”
Actor Deyemi Okanlawon publicly supported Simi, writing on X: “When women say ‘STOP raping women’… Your response cannot be ‘what abt men/children’ neither can it be ‘what abt false accusers’ nor anything else. Your reply MUST be only YES!!! You can start your own separate conversation about anything else at another time/place.”
Broader Implications
The investigation has reignited conversations in Nigeria about digital footprints, the permanence of social media posts, and the standards to which public figures are held for past statements made before they achieved fame.
As of press time, no formal charges have been announced, but NAPTIP says it will proceed with a full review of any credible evidence submitted.
The case also highlights the growing intersection between social media activism, accountability, and institutional response in Nigeria’s digital age.
