In the last decade, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of children living in the streets of Calabar. These kids are exposed to the most horrendous conditions including forced labour and regular physical abuses. To survive each day, these kids depend only on what they can scavenge from refuse dumps, leftovers at restaurants, petty stealing and the occasional goodwill of a few individuals and organizations. These are kids whom our society- with its laws, institutions, cultures and religion- have left behind. They have been hardened by suffering, abuses and narcotics.

The female street kids are condescendingly referred to as ‘Lacasera Girls’ denoting their availability to be sexually exploited. This report ‘Paradise of Paedophiles’ by We the People examines the shocking and widespread phenomenon of sexual abuse of children in Calabar. It reveals how brothel owners specialize in making a fortune from prostituting children. This report also highlights how the weakness in the implementation of various laws and conventions including the Cross River State Child Rights Act have contributed to exposing children to atrocious abuses.