Viral video on social media platform X shows an elderly man allegedly making inappropriate remarks to a 13-year-old girl selling cocoyam, sparking concern among viewers.
The video shows the girl hawking her goods when the man calls her over under the pretext of buying cocoyam.
The exchange quickly turns tense. An eyewitness records the scene from a nearby window, zooms in, and then steps outside to confront the man.
In the footage, the man asks the girl for her name, and she replies, “Adijat.” He then asks, “Will you date me?”
The eyewitness challenges him and demands an explanation for the remark.
The man denies wrongdoing and insists he only joked. “No, no, no, I only joked and played with her,” he says.
The girl confirms the interaction when the eyewitness questions her.
“He asked me if I could date him. I told him he is too old. Then he said he is married and still breastfeeding. Then he said he wants to go and bring money,” she says.
The man disputes her account and claims he only greeted her and asked about her wellbeing and her mother.
Passersby notice the confrontation, gather around, and openly condemn his behaviour.
The incident deepens concerns about the safety of underage street hawkers. In March, reports highlighted a similar case in which a man allegedly tried to lure a young girl selling avocados with money for sexual purposes.
Authorities have not released any official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
