- NAPTIP tasks parents on child protection, reportage of SGBV cases
Joseph Jimoh, a 45-year-old man, and one Helen Bada, a 55-year-old woman, were on Thursday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly abducting a 12-year-old girl.
The defendants were alleged to have conspired together to commit felony to wit: abduction.
This is even as the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Thursday challenged parents on child protection in Kwali communities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Insp John Iberedem, the police prosecutor, said the defendants committed the offence in Ejigbo area of Lagos State on Jan. 27, 2023.
He said that the defendants abducted the 12- year old girl, daughter of Felix Anyigor following an altercation.
The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Sections 268 and 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that section 268 stipulates seven years imprisonment for any one found guilty of abduction of a girl under the age of 18 years.
However, the defendants each pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Magistrate E. Kubeinje admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N250,000 each with two sureties each in like sum..
She said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must show proof of tax payment and verification of address.
She adjourned the case until June 25, for hearing.
Tasking parents on child protection, the Director-General of the agency, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi at a one-day community dialogue and advocacy on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) also urged parents not to shield perpetrators of SGBV, saying such act is a crime in the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act.
She added that “the Child Rights Act (CRA) is a strong law that protects children, their interest should take prominent place in the hearts of parents.
“Grievous cases of SGBV like rape, incest should not be covered, we must always learn to do the right thing in reporting these cases to law enforcement officers, or to NAPTIP.
“Preservation of evidence in these cases must be guided well so that NAPTIP can prosecute the matter, such offences are not allowed to be settled at the community level.
“Everybody must ensure victims are protected, while perpetrators are brought to book, settling grievous SGBV cases at the community level is doing injustice to the victim.
“NAPTIP has started sending strong messages to parents who try to shield perpetrators of SGBV cases, or hide evidence, it is a crime that attracts jail sentence.”
Mr Danladi Chiya, the Chairman of Kwali Area Council, pledged readiness to support NAPTIP in watching out for SGBV crimes.
Represented by Mr Mathew Yakubu, the acting Head of Social Welfare of the council, the chairman charged communities in Kwali to also support NAPTIP and report SGBV cases happening in the area.
Mr Mohammed Kwainanga, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), disclosed that a lot of SGBV cases are reported at the division, while blaming the various chiefs and parents on some of the rape cases happening in Kwali.
He said “we receive such complaints a lot, parents do compromised when it comes to reportage, this is not helping matters, parents in Kwali communities must wake up to their responsibilities.
(NAN)
