28th August, 2015
Children everywhere in the world are the most vulnerable segment of the society. They can’t help themselves when faced with danger or threat to their safety. That is why they deserve all the protection they can get. Cases of children being kidnapped currently in Nigeria are getting worse. Kidnappers are going after children who are sometimes dismembered for ritual purposes. For instance, in Calabar, the Cross River State capital in southern Nigeria, at least 20 children have been kidnapped in the last nine months, according figures reeled out by a non governmental organisation, Prevent Abuse of Children Today (PACT) Coalition in Cross River.
It is astonishing that this is happening in Calabar, a city widely regarded as the safest in Nigeria and a tourists’ haven. In Lagos State with a population of about 21 million, there have also been several cases of missing or kidnapped children. In other cities across the country, the story is the same. The disappearance of children, sometimes in mysterious circumstances, has become a global phenomenon. America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, announced in April this year that 40,773 children were missing across America.
In view of the escalating cases of kidnappings, parents should be more circumspect when hiring care givers as nannies have been known to collude with kidnappers to perpetrate their dastardly act. Parents should carry out thorough background checks on nannies they wish to hire to take care of their children.
Experts have said that kidnappers are not always who you think they will be. They are usually relatives or they know the child. That is why they easily lure the child away. In some cases, complete strangers are involved in the criminal act, so children should be taught not to accept sweets, candies and biscuits from strangers because this is one of the tricks kidnappers use to lure children before they are abducted. They also lure children with money or beautiful toys.
Experts have also suggested that parents should supervise their children and talk to them early and regularly about their safety; inform the children that when they are home alone, they should not open the door for anyone; and that if someone grabs them, they should kick, yell and pull away. Doing that could attract adults who could come to their rescue.
The world is increasingly becoming very dangerous and desperate people are bent on cutting corners to make ends meet. They resort to all manner of crimes to achieve their inordinate desires. And children, being the most vulnerable group usually fall prey to these despicable characters. So, parents should always be vigilant and keep an eye on their children. Above all, security agencies should intensify efforts at curbing the spate of kidnappings across the country. The setting up of a special task force to go after kidnappers by the Zone Six Police Command with headquarters in Calabar has come at the right time. The war against kidnappers should be sustained until the menace is wiped out completely.