CHILDREN ASK "WHEN ARE THE CHIBOK GIRLS COMING BACK?"

Children are appealing to the government and the suspected kidnappers of more then 200 school girls in Borno state Nigeria to being back the girls .

The children made the appeal at the 2014 Children's Day security summit organised by the Security Watch Africa Media in collaboration with the Lagos State police command.

The children from various schools had one question "When are the abducted Cbibok School girls coming back?"

The Inspector General of Police Mohammed Dikko Abubakar who was represented by the Lagos state commissioner of police Mr. Umar Manko however  reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria police Force to protect children.

CP Manko said “ I am attending this children security summit as a representative of the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Dikko Abubakar who is the light of present-day Nigeria police. The IGP takes security of children very seriously and this speech I am presenting today is his speech sent to me from Abuja for this event . The IGP and the Nigeria Police Force is committed to security of our children  both in their schools and when they are at play”

The IGP assured the children that their rights will be protected by the police just as the police will ensure that persons who abuse children will not go scot free. He also assured the children that security agencies are doing their best to bring the abducted Chibo School girls back.

“Children have rights and these rights are not negotiable. They have rights to life, rights to education, and rights to a secured environment where they are loved and nurtured to become good citizens. The unborn child  has to be protected from harm and as law enforcement agents , the police is conversant and  committed to protecting and upholding these rights at all times and that is why we have the human rights desk in all our police formations; children should not open doors to strangers without the consent of their parents , every child should know  his or her parents’ name , phone numbers and address and other security tips they need to know”

Officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service, the National Drug law Enforcement Agency and also took time to speak to the children about security tips.

Mrs Kate Onyechi from the NDLEA charged the children to shun illicit drugs.

“Acts of terrorism are influenced by taking hard drugs and this is why the fight against terrorism also involves the NDLEA checking the abuse of hard drugs in our society. Some of you take stimulant to keep you awake when you are reading for exams but abusing that stimulant by taking excess of it is bad for your health. Do not take alcohol and too much caffeine ;report any adult who is luring you to abuse drugs to the appropriate authority. You should read ahead of you examination so that you do not end up taking stimulant to keep you awake at night” she said

Ishola John , the Zonal Public Relations officer  Zone A Nigeria Immigration service, represented the Comptroller  General Nigeria Immigration Service .

He said the Nigeria Immigration Service is collaborating with other security agencies to check crime against children in the country.

Grace Ama, a Nollywood actress and NDLEA Ambassador, Prince Afam Chibuzor the president of the Nigeria Society of Cinematographers alongside Mr. Wilson Ighodalo the president of the Drug Salvation Foundation,  were present at the event and praised the organizers of the programme.

The children urged the government and other security agencies to check insecurity in the country as well as expedite action to bring back the abducted Chibok school girls.

Ayodeji  Oluwasegun said “I have learnt a lot from this programme. I will go out there to become a security ambassador. I know what to do to keep safe and to avoid taking illicit drugs.”

Favour John said “ The Chibok girls are children and they should be celebrating children’s day but they are in the forest, government said they don’t even know where they are, this is sad, they should ensure that the girls are returned home soon”

The children were also presented with certificate of participation and some of them were named Security Ambassadors.