Child Safety: Preventing Child & Teen Abduction

Money they say is the root of all evil, but even at that everyone desires money. And it seems there are some that will commit extra evil just to have this money. Recently, there has been news about ritual killing all around the country, and it seems age is no longer a factor in who is committing such atrocity. This year, 3 boys were arrested for killing and beheading a girl all in the name of getting rich. Likewise, a man was arrested for trying to kill his mother for ritual purposes. The latest news is of a girl named Bamishe that was reportedly kidnapped by a BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) driver, killed, and dismembered before having her body dumped on a bridge.

These incidents leave many wondering if the killings are truly carried out ritual (money-making) or for organ harvesting and trafficking. No matter what the reason might be, one thing is evident – that our kids are no longer safe. Initially, we’ve always had our hopes in the government to help in curbing this deadly act, but with the killing of the Bamishe girl by a BRT (government-sponsored transport scheme) driver, one would wonder if we can actually rely on the government to their job in protecting us.

The security alert is crucial at this stage that we are in. Every day we hear strange news and see heart-breaking things on the internet. The question that lingers in our mind then is – how do we protect our children from kidnappers and these so-called ritualists?

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We can remember as kids how our parents would scold us for going to play outside without prior notice or for taking things from strangers without informing them. Then we would wonder why the unnecessary punishment, but looking at the situation of things now, we just have to reckon with the fact that they were protecting us their own way.

As a parent you should;

• Never leave your child (ren) in the care of others. Do not be a busy but guilty parent that would allow every stranger access to their kids. Doing this makes them vulnerable to kidnappers.
• Teach your children to always tell you of their movement. With the help of phones, you can easily track the movement of your children.

According to the report about the Bamishe girl, it was discovered that the culprit was apprehended because of the information the girl shared with her people throughout her journey in the bus. She gave a detailed description of every strange thing she noticed, including the bus number. Can you imagine what would have happened if such information was not shared?

We should not act carefree especially when our teenage kids go out. Call them every hour to know where they are and with whom. If possible, do not let them go out unless you know where they are going and who they are going out with. 

• Choose a school for your child with the best security measures. At the time when your kid grows up enough to join the school, keep in mind the security measures before choosing a school. It would include nearest to your house, the school that takes responsibility for the kids unless parents come to take them home, or someone there for your child when you are coming to take them home.
• Feed your children well. A poorly fed child can be enticed by food or candy from strangers. But if your children are well taken care of, it won’t work.
• Teach them to respectfully reject gifts from strangers no matter how enticing it is.
• Teach children to show you gifts they receive from strangers before using them.
• And most importantly, make yourself accessible to your children. We’ve come to discover that harsh parenting creates a gap between you and your child. Rather, make yourself their best friend, interact with them and check on them.

The school also has its duty to perform in protecting our children. We heard of the little girl that was kidnapped in Kano and was eventually killed by one of her teachers. This shows that even the school has a role to play. As a school, you should;

• Have CCTV cameras installed in every part of the school, including the classroom. Every blind spot in the school must be covered with cameras.
• Background checks should be done before members of the staff (both teaching and non-teaching) are employed.
• School buses should have CCTV cameras in them. School management platforms that allow parents access to every trip of their kids should be invested in by the school. This allows parents to monitor their children to and fro home and school.

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• Security personnel should be employed to help check-in visitors and guests.
• Do not let strangers pick up kids from your school unless the parent approves.
• Visitors that have no business with pupils or students should not be allowed access to where they are. This means you must have a separate meeting arena for visitors.
• Students should not be let out of school premises during school hours unless accompanied by a teacher.

The security of our children and teenagers should be the concern of us the parents, schools, and every stakeholder in the education system. With the right resources, we will be able to guarantee the safety of our children and fight this war against kidnapping and ritual killing.

Please Stay SAFE!