The Niger State Child Right Agency (NSCRA) will continue to raise its voice against all sorts of violence and molestation against girl child,women and the vulnerable in the state.
This was disclosed by the Director General of the Agency in Niger State,Hajiya Umulkhatum Mohammed Esq. In an interactive chat with journalists in her office in Minna.
She stated that the NSCRA was established by the Niger State Government under the enabling law as passed by the enabling legislative, to protect the right of the girl child,domestic violence,gender based violence (GBV), among other unpleasant abuses that will be detrimental to the girl child.
According to the Director General,among such includes withdrawal of girl child from schools to early marriage, child bullying,gender based violences of all sorts and girl molestation warning that the agency will ensure the full prosecution of such persons in court of competent jurisdiction
She noted that some parents are in the habits of withdrawing their girl child and their under aged girl child from school for early marriage,describing the trends as unacceptable.
Stating that the agency had recieved series of such complaints “ and the agency under my watch will go after any parents or guardians that engage in any of such unpleasant attitudes”
“ I will go after any parents and guardians that henceforth withdraw their girls from schools for early marriage.I will ensure that such parents and guardians will go to jail.
“ The law is very clear on that unpleasant act. If you think you can just go to school and withdraw your daughters for early marriage, dare that and you will see the consequences of the agency” she declared
Speaking further, the Director General of the agency pointed out that she has zero tolerance for all sorts of gender based violence and girl child molestation and domestic violence insisting that agency would not fold its hand to watch disgruntled elements take pleasure in gender based violence sexual abuse as well as domestic violence on the vulnerable in Niger State.
She stressed the need for community based organisation, CBO,Non Governmental organisation, NGO, Community and religion leaders,as well as all critical stakeholders in the state to partner with the agency by voicing out the increasing rates of gender related vices against girl child in the state.
This, according to Hajiya Umulkhatum Mohammed will assist the agency in bringing any culprits to face the full consequences of Justice.
The Director General noted that the law establishing the agency was backed with the instrumental of the enabling legislation that empowered it to ensure the full prosecution of any sort of gender related crimes against the girl child emphasizing the needs for members of the public in the state to speak out.
Disclosing further, Hajiya Ummukhatu Mohammed stated that the agency has taken an Islamiya teacher in Bosso to custody for abusing his Almajiri causing body harm on him assuring that full wrath of the law will be visited on him to serve as a detergent to other Islamiya teachers that are in the habit of abusing their Almajirai (pupil).
She warned that the Niger State Child Rights Agency under her watch continue to ensure the protection of the right and dignity of girl child,women and gender and domestic violence.
