Disturbed by the alarming rate of child trafficking in Oyo State, the Ibadan based Justice, Development and Peace Commission, (JDPC), has said it has rescued no fewer than 710 children in Ibadan metropolis in the last one year.
The Head of Programme, Women Development and Child’s Rights Programme an arm of JDPC, Mrs. Omotayo Mala-Adebayo made this disclosure on Tuesday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital at a one day stakeholders’ meeting tagged “Awareness Creation and Campaign Against Child Trafficking and Labour”.
The meeting was attended by religious leaders, traditional rulers, representatives of security and enforcement agencies including Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Immigration Service, NAPTIP and media organizations.
Mala-Adebayo who revealed that most of this school age minors where picked and rescued in areas like Dugbe, Gbagi, Bodija and Ojoo markets, Dandaru Cultural centre, Ayeye, Ogunpa and Agbaje maintained that child trafficking and child Labour is still rampant in Ibadan, the state capital due to low level of awareness about the dangers of the menace.
She said that in the last twelve months of aggressive campaign and enlightenment by the commission, it has also re-united about 378 children with their families who are still doing well in their various homes.
While calling on all stakeholders in the society to support the activities of the organization, Mala-Adebayo declared that no fewer than 252 children are on the scholarship of the organization for a better future.
The Programme Officer of WDP Mr. Ayo Olanipekun, in his contribution also revealed that 11 families have been re-united.
He said that the organization has concluded plans to give educational support for 400 most indigenous children in the city.
“We have identified 560 children among whom are 400 most indigent students will benefit from the educational support programme.
“Somewhere giving vocational support where we have given out sewing machines and other tools to them.
“In the first phase, we introduced what we can vocational programme, we also focused on rehabilitation of affected children so that they will return to school and those that could not do so we put them in vocational training.
“Last time we went to Ojoo to rescued four children in conjunction with Nigerian Immigration Service, we returned these children back to their parents.
“We have family re-union, many families have been re-united, we gathered affected families together and we have 11 of them within Ibadan and we still want to do more.
The Director of JDPC, Mr. Ezekeil Owoeye maintained that all hands must be on the desk to fight the menace as he called for those perpetrating the act to desist or face the full wrath of law.
In another development the JDPC has declared child exploitation as inhuman behavior.
The organization also urged all stakeholders to prevail on the governments at all levels to make primary education free for all.
This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the stakeholders’ meeting on Tuesday in Ibadan.
JDPC recommended that “Government agencies must intensify efforts to bring to book anyone culpable of such act.
“Make primary education free for all.
“The conference believes that the enforcement of the child’s right act is most needed now; provision and establishment of a family court, rather than levying shelter owners, government should support and partner with them.
“Lawmakers should enact laws that will keep children in their homes and ones that will punish the culprits.
“The society must support campaign against child trafficking and Labour and regularly speak out when necessary.”
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