Ranti Kayode/
Nasrul-Lahi-L-Fatih Society (NASFAT), a Nigerian Muslim prayer group, has condemned attacks and abuse of children and minor.
NASFAT also called on parents to take proper care of their children/ward and avoid dehumanizing them.
According to the group, parents and guardians have no right to abuse and injure their children in the name of inculcating discipline into them, warning that physically manhandling a child or minor would no longer be accepted.
An official of NASFAT, Alhaja Morufat George, who led a team of NASFAT officials to the Lagos Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) said the organization had launched an advocacy programme in partnership with the United Nations Children and Educational Fund (UNICEF) to sensitize Nigerians on the ills against children and see how it can be checked.
She said that the programme was launched under the sub-theme ‘End Violence Against Children (ENDVAC) would involve road shows and other forms of campaign to sensitize the public about this violence against children and fashion out strategies to end it.
She added that NASFAT kicked against violence on children and minors, hence the decision to partner with UNICEF on this and especially in line with the fact that Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari frowned at “this despicable act against children”.
She recalled that the National Population Commission (NPC) had in 2015 carried out a survey which indicates that one in every child, particularly female had suffered one type of abuse or the other.
While lamenting that these abuse is oftentimes carried out by relatives of these children and those close to them, Mrs. George called on parents to be careful who they are leaving their children with and always do a check to ascertain they are not being abused.
The NASFAT team said it visited the NUJ Lagos Council to seek partnership with journalists in Lagos to fight these ills, adding that both organization must fashion out strategies to eradicate violence against children.
The group said it was also seeking support from veritable stakeholders to put an end to violence against children in Nigeria.
Responding, the Chairman of NUJ, Lagos Council, Dr Qasim Akinreti, said that the partnership was commendable especially with the type of collaboration UNICEF was seeking.
He added that the Nigerian media, particularly Lagos journalists, had been in the forefront of advocacy on violence against children.
Akinreti commended UNICEF for working with NASFAT, especially in realization that religious focal groups are considered perfect in this advocacy programme.
Officials of the group that visited the NUJ included the Publicity Secretary, Banji Busari, the National Financial Secretary, Alhaji Maroof Ajiroba, Mariam Kareem, Aishat Usman and Fadilat Raji.
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