Parents of several minors seen in a viral video being flogged during a religious ritual in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have said they willingly consented to the actions of Pastor Ifediorah Joseph, who led the controversial “spiritual cleansing” programme.
The pastor was arrested by the Nigeria Police after footage surfaced showing him whipping children — some reportedly stripped — during a three-day event at his church. The ritual, which he claimed was intended to “purify” the children, also involved the use of pigeon blood, water, and palm fruit.
Following his arrest, a group of parents and children visited the police station in Port Harcourt to show support for the pastor, singing and dancing in solidarity. One parent told journalists that the ritual was believed to ward off a looming spiritual threat. “The message was that death was in the air, and they should purify the children,” she said.
However, the incident has raised serious concerns among child rights advocates. Nwamaka Ikediashi, an official with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), stated that both the children and their parents are in need of intervention.
“It is a total case of child abuse,” Ikediashi said in an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief. “The parents are victims as well — they do not understand the implications. If they did, they would not subject their children to such inhuman treatment.”
Police confirmed the arrest of Pastor Ifediorah Joseph in a statement issued on Wednesday. The video that prompted the arrest showed disturbing scenes of children — some appearing to be toddlers — being whipped inside a church in the Eneka area of Port Harcourt. A basin filled with a red liquid, believed to be pigeon blood, was also visible in the footage.
Investigations are ongoing as authorities determine the appropriate legal and rehabilitative steps for all parties involved.
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