National Speaker, Children’s Parliament, Master Idara Thompson, made the disclosure on Monday at the end of the 2014 national and state Children’s Parliament Retreat in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Thompson stated that the leaders, instead of deploying security operatives in schools, churches, mosques, and other public places, to protect the children, they rather deploy them in the homes of politicians, their aides and the rich.
He said the development affected the security of the country, which he added, made children to be more vulnerable to child theft; sexual abuse and forced labour.
He said, “We are disappointed that in a democratically governed country like Nigeria, children who were doing public examinations could easily be kidnapped and turned into sex slaves following what we have heard.
“We will not celebrate this year’s Children’s Day if the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls are not freed. This is the time government must rise up and tell the world that they are capable of protecting children.”
Deputy Director, Child Development, Ministry of Women Affairs, Akwa Ibom State, Mrs. Veronica Okon, had earlier cautioned the children against keeping quiet over sexual abuse.
Commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr. Glory Edet, also advised parents, guardians to work towards ensuring that necessary measures were put in place to outlaw practices that were at variance with basic child rights.
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