Kano State, Northern Nigeria is set to launch three supplementary juvenile courts to advance children’s right in the state.
The Director Citizens Rights, Ministry of Justice, Muhammed Sulaiman, stated this during a one-day dialogue organised by National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with UNICEF.
Sulaiman stated that currently, the state had two functional courts that tackled and addressed juvenile cases.
According to him, the Child Rights Act that the state had reviewed and made all necessary amendments would soon be passed into law.
“We will soon establish three juvenile court and will also expand to eight other local government areas across the state,” he noted.
He however kicked against the tradition of keeping underage at the correctional centres instead of the remand homes.
Deputy Superintendent of Correction, Mr Habibu Kabir represented the Nigeria Correctional Service, said they would improve on their custodial program.
Mr Kabir narrated that the program focuses on the welfare and rehabilitation of children who are supposed to be in correctional centres.
Other stakeholders such as the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Nigeria Police Force also made extended commitments for children protection.
“We are mandated to reject children below the age of 16 in our centres when they are brought to us so we make other recommendations on their state, “he said.
Mrs Aisha Yakasai, Gender Based Violence Officer at the Kano Command of the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps, said they would improve on awareness on the rights of children.
Mrs Yakasai also urged her colleagues to take measures and cautions while dealing with children.
Presenting a paper, Child Protection Specialist UNICEF Kano Field Office, Fatima Adamu condemned lack of specialised training for agencies dealing with Children’s issues.
Mrs Adamu pointed out the challenges faced by children, saying that they are vulnerable and there was lack of established data on children in detention.
She appealed to the media, to support in promoting the rights of children and safeguarding their dignity.
The UNICEF Communication Specialist, Samuel Kaalu in his remarks, demonstrated that the dialogue was organised to sensitise security personnel and media practitioners on the best practices in handling issues relating to children without exposing them to unnecessary injuries in the society.
The event themed “Strengthening supportive systems for the protection of the Nigerian Child: A wake up call” witnessed large turnout of media practitioners, security and paramilitary agencies, who vowed to support the course for children’s welfare.
Lateefah Ibrahim
