The Lagos State Government has escalated the controversy surrounding Nigerian singer Simi, confirming that the matter has been referred to the Commissioner of Police for preliminary investigation.

The move was announced by Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and S+xual V#olence Agency (DSVA), during an appearance on Morning Brief on Channels Television on Thursday, February 26.

Vivour-Adeniyi said the agency had been monitoring developments after disturbing tweets allegedly linked to the singer resurfaced online. “In terms of Simi gates, some people have been asking what the institutions are doing.

I can speak for what Lagos State is doing,” she said. She noted that some of the tweets date back to 2012 and 2014. “But what we have done is to actually refer the case to the Commissioner of Police to at least conduct some preliminary investigation.

As you know, this may have happened in a creche managed by her mum,” she added. Vivour-Adeniyi stressed that prosecution would be difficult without a complainant, urging alleged victims to come forward. “It is going to be very difficult to prosecute Simi without a survivor being present.

To start the process, we encourage anybody who was allegedly s+x¥ally a§§aulted by Simi to please come forward and ensure that their statement is taken.” The development follows an earlier statement by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Tr+fficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which called on members of the public with credible information regarding the allegations to submit evidence to the agency.