Tajudeen Adebanjo
Secretary to Lagos State Government (SSG) Mrs Sherifat Folashade Jaji has warned perpetrators of child abuse to stop it because the state has zero-tolerance for child abuse.
Mrs Folashade spoke at a walk organised by The Young Muslims Association (TYMA) to mark the 2019 World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse.
Represented by Alhaja Maryam Oyesiji, Mrs Jaji said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was passionate about protecting child rights.
She warned parents against child molestation, trafficking, street trading, and hawking, saying offenders would be prosecuted.
“We need to pay attention to our children. Often times, we leave them loitering about and at the mercy of neighbours, uncles, and aunties who in, most cases, don’t have time for them. In fact, a lot of these abuses are perpetrated by these so-called uncles and aunties.
“It is not only the female children that are prone to abuse. Even the male children are susceptible. Parents need to be extra-cautious about it.”
TYMA’s National Coordinator Mr Musiliu Owolewa said the event was to commemorate the United Nations Day for Prevention of Child Abuse slated for November 19, “but because the day was a weekday (Tuesday), we decided to create awareness and advocate for enlightenment on the importance of the day with a Walk and Press conference.
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The rights of every child, Owolewa said, was paramount in every society.
“They are our future and the hope for the coming generations. When these fragile creatures are mismanaged or abused, then the future is in danger,” he said.
Owolewa described children as special gifts from Allah, adding that they were jewels and pearls who deserve to be celebrated and loved by all.
He said it was disheartening that there were rising cases of child maltreatment.
Some of the effects of child abuse on victims, Owolewa said, could be physical injury, emotional imbalance, behavioural maladjustment, poor academic performance, low self-esteem, depression, prone to further abuse, suicide attempt and sometimes death of the victim.
TYMa’s former National Coordinator Alhaji Abdul Azeez Ajala said government should protect all citizens, including children, from being molested and victimised.
Ajala called on the government to regulate and sanitise activities of correctional centres, saying some of them molest and violate the Child Rights Act.
He said: “We’ve read in the news how innocent Nigerians … are being molested at correctional homes…’
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