Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Value Life for Children and Women Initiative, has decried the high rate of violence against children and called on the National Assembly to make legislation that will abolish violence against children in the country.
Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Dr. Caroline Adeyemi, said violence against children and women are prevalent in all the 36 states of the country.
At an event to mark this year’s Children’s Day, Adeyemi said 60 percent of Nigerian children were subjected to different kinds of violence.
She said: “Statistics by UNICEF has shown that over 60 percent of Nigerian children suffer sexual, physical and other kinds of violence in the society. There are so many cases of violence against children in Nigeria, government, therefore need to double its efforts to save the future of our children.
“Leah Sharibu, abducted in Dapchi, Yobe State some years back by gunmen, has not been released and still suffering in the hands of her abductors; another 12-year-old boy, Ishola Fawaz, was set ablaze by yet-to-be identified person in his fathers’ home town in Ikorodu, Lagos State. He didn’t die but sustained serious injuries all over his body. These are just few of the incidents of violence against our children in Nigeria.
“One Ishola Bolanle Hamdalat was also hit deliberately by a driver and the driver also ran away to prevent arrest. This is a serious violence against a child and his family.”