The Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network ACVPN and the Child Protection Unit of the Lagos state Ministry of Youth and Social Development MYSD are at loggerheads over where a rescued defiled girl who was also forced to abort her pregnancy can be sheltered.
While the ACVPN said it has ensured that the girl was rescued, her abusers arrested and are being made to dance to the music of thier crime, ACVPN said it's further efforts to ensure that the abused child is kept under state protective custody to avoid any untoward interference of her being tutored to recant her experience of the ugly incident she endured and to enable her go through the needed treatment so as to heal from the traumatic experience, the Lagos state child protection unit and Mr. Bolaji Ogunlende the Commissioner Lagos state Ministry of Youth and Social Development however stated that the child has a right to choose where to stay and so the agency cannot provide her with protective custody against her wish.
In a letter to the honourable Commissioner Youth and Social Development MYSD Lagos state , the ACVPN coordinator Mr. Ebenezer Omejalile condemned the officials of the Child Protection Unit for not taking the best interest of the child into consideration adding that it is indeed regretable that an agency saddled with the responsibility of protecting children, especially abused children are the ones sadly seeking permission from the child on how to protect her. The ACVPN sent a letter to the Commissioner MYSP seeking his intervention but the Commissioner MYSP Lagos state Mr. Bolaji Ogundele stands with the officials of the Child Protection Unit that the abused child can choose where to stay.
The ACVPN letter reads:
THE HONORABLE COMMISSIONER
THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE PERMANENT SECRETARY
LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF YOUTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (MYSD)
ALAUSA SECRETARIAT IKEJA.
Dear Sir
LETTER OF COMPLAINTS ON REFUSED PLACEMENT OF A MINOR IN A SAFE HOUSE BY LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF YOUTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (CHILD PROTECTION UNIT)
We hereby bring to your good office attention to the above mentioned subject. We are Advocates For Children and Vulnerable persons Network (ACVPN).
It's a social justice platform that Comprises both States Actors and Non States Actors, We leverage on each other strengths to achieve a common goal in the best interest of Children and all vulnerable persons across the federation irrespective of their status.
Sir we seek your good office to address the above stated issue as concerns our position and the vulnerability of the minor in question. A case of sexual defilement and abortions on a minor was reported by our organization to the Nigeria Police Force, Ifako-Gbagada, Lagos on the 8th Of April, 2024.
The perpetrators in this case, where apprehended by the Police, while the minor was being closely watched under the custody of the DPO of the station .
The perpetrators were moved to the Gender Unit Of the Nigeria Police Force, Ikeja on the 12th of April, 2024 and further charged to court from the results of the investigations carried out by the Gender unit officers.
The minor's shelter status was raised to the Lagos State Ministry of Youth And Social Development, Child Protection Unit, for speedy intervention on Friday 12th April, 2024, by our case Manager, while the case was being heard at the Samuel Ilori Court House, Ogba Magistrate Court, so that she would have a safe place to stay, avoid tutoring to change her given statements and also keep her on a place where she would get away from the traumatic events.
The officials who the case manager called, asked for the charge sheet of the case, a police extract of the case and a letter from ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE PERSON'S NETWORK, stating their role in the matter as required documents to enable them place the minor in a shelter. They did not take her in that day, as they were rounding off work. The case manager got the stated documents and deposited in the office of the Permanent Secretary as they had stated to her on Monday, 15th April,
2024.
She still met with stiff resistance as they said that the document they required was an extract from the Gender unit. She duly got it back to them with the Police extract document, but they also turned ot down saying that there was no specification from the IPO of the case asking that the minor be placed in safe shelter.
The case manager even suggested that the officials of Lagos State MYSD(CPU) call the officials of the Gender unit to get verfication on the matter but this has not been helpful as even of Tuesday 16th April, 2024, the officials have failed to take calls or messages to address this issue.
We call on your good office Honorable Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry Of Youth and Social Development and also the Permanent Secretary, to please the Child Protection Unit Head Sunbo by name to order in the ministry, to take a closer look into this matter, why a victim of a heinous crime who happens to be a minor, will not be granted a measure of safety to ensure her well being. Such an action, more likely than not, will lead to a compromise and natural death of the case, of not well handled and followed up.
Thank you for your usual cooperation and understanding as we anticipate a positive response from your good office regarding this report.
Warmest Regards
Ebenezer M. Omejalile
Reacting to the ACVPN letter, Mr. Bolaji Ogunlende the Commissioner
Ministry of Youth and Social Development stated.
"We wish to clarify the situation regarding a recent case involving a potential need for shelter for a minor who was allegedly sexually abused.
On the 12th of April, 2024, The Child Protection Unit of the Ministry received a call concerning a potential need for shelter placement for a Survivor of sexual abuse.
We were informed by the caller that the matter had been reported at the Police Station, and the perpetrators were arrested, investigated, and are under police custody.
The caller stated further that the Police had released the child to a relative. Because we take such reports seriously, the caller was invited to the office on Monday 15th April 2024 to give more information. The caller came with the survivor and the relative to the office. At that point, the child said she wanted to go home with her aunt while she waited for her mother in the village to pick her up.
Even though the Police had released the child to her relatives, the caller(Representative) of the Non-Governmental Organisation NGO still insisted that the child should be placed in a shelter, contrary to the child’s wishes.
We wish to categorically state that the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Youth and Social Development is committed to working with Law Enforcement and Social Services Providers to ensure the safety and well-being of a minor who may be at risk.
The Child’s Rights Law paramount objective is to safe-guard the well-being of children, and this office being the appropriate authority recognised by the Law for its implementation will not ignore the wishes of a child in determining the child’s best interest.
Having expressed her desire to stay with her family members, the need for shelter was not deemed to be necessary in this instance.
We encourage anyone who has concerns about a child’s welfare to contact the authorities immediately, this includes;
Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development
The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, And
The Gender Unit of the Nigeria Police Force.".
Mr. Bolaji Ogunlende
Hon. Commissioner
Ministry of Youth and Social Development.
15th April, 2024
