Child Abuse: NAWOJ Challenges FG, Demands Severe Sanctions On Perpetrators

The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has urged the Federal Government to punish perpetrators of all forms of abuses against children in the country.

Chairperson of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter of NAWOJ, Mrs Stella Okoh-Esene, who made the call in commemoration of the 2019 Children’s Day, described the growing incident of abuses as gross violation of the rights of the Nigerian child.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of a Road Show to mark the Nigerian Children’s Day celebrations in Abuja, said only severe sanctions against the culprits will serve as a deterrent to others involved in these wicked and inhuman acts.

Mrs Okoh-Esene condemned the rate of violence, sexual abuses and molestation on children, irrespective of age, on daily basis, describing the development as worrisome and capable of destroying the future of Nigerian children.

She insisted that anyone whose actions or inactions are capable of destroying children’s self worth and prevent them from achieving their full potentials in life must not be spared the full wrath of the law

According to her, it is unfortunate that despite the increasing rate of sexual abuses on children every second, minute, hourly and daily basis, the law enforcement agencies have not been proactive nor demonstrated enough resolve to effectively address the issues.

The NAWOJ chairperson specifically cited an instance where a rape case reported at a particular station was treated with levity by the police who eventually let the perpetrator off the hook without much ado.

She lamented that such laxity on the part of law enforcement agencies have continued to encourage rapists and child abusers to perpetuate the heinous activities without any restraint.

Mrs Okoh-Esene also decried situations where men above 70 years of age regularly defile five, six and seven year-old children and blamed the ugly development on lack of political will by government at all levels to penalize perpetrators.

Also frowning at non-implementation of existing laws to protect the rights of the Nigerian child, the FCT NAWOJ boss said; “The rate of rape of the girl-child is worrisome and alarming, something must be done and there should be stringent measures against all perpetrators of this evil against our children.

“The Federal Government should come to our rescue and save the lives of Nigerian children. We have so many cases of child molestation in our hands in FCT and NAWOJ is even tired because in all these cases the police has not helped. A child will be defiled you take the case to the police after a while the accused is released.

“By releasing the accused he will conclude that he can get away with what he did, he will go and defile another child and such act will traumatise the victim all through her life.”

She explained that the road show was specifically meant to celebrate the children and also tell the Federal Government that: “Enough is enough; No to child molestation, abuse; and child-labour.”

“We are not only talking about the girl-child, but also the boy-child as well because sexual molestation is not only about female children but both sexes”.

In her intervention, the FCT NAWOJ Vice Chairperson, Joyce Remi-Babayeju, also pleaded with government to prioritise  the protection of children in all ramification, describing the Nigerian child as precious.

Remi-Babayeju therefore charged the Federal Government to sanction states that were yet to adopt the Child Rights Law, describing it as a contributory factor to the alarming rate of all forms of abuses on children.

“We are asking the legislators in this country to domesticate the Child Rights Act, which is in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).” – NAN