The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has passed a resolution prohibiting child theft in the state.
Worried by the prevailing cases of child theft, abuse and other vices and with the recent case of Mr Johnson Johnny of Nsit Atai local government area who resides in Nung Udoe of Ibesikpo Asutan had his two weeks old child kidnapped at gun point, the House called on government to impose stringent penalties on persons found in the act.
In line with the existing Akwa Ibom State Child’s Rights Law, the legislature, through a motion brought before it by the Member, Uyo State Constituency, Hon. Anietie Eka deliberated on diverse ways the evil of child theft was being perpetrated.
In a motion tagged: “Urgent Need To Curb The Rising Menace of Child Theft in Akwa Ibom State”, Anietie Eka highlighted the needs to protect children, citing parents’ psychological and emotional trauma as why the National Agency for the Prohibition and Trafficking in persons (NAPTIP) should set up measures to eradicate such menace.
The motion was seconded by the member, Etim Ekpo/Ika State Constituency, Hon. Mfon Idung and supported by the member, Esit Eket State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Usoro Akpanusoh; and those of Ibesikpo Asutan and Etinan State Constituencies, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko and Rt. Hon. Aniefiok Dennis.
Others who spoke in favour of the motion were Rt. Hon. Uduak Odudo (Ikot Abasi), Rt. Hon. Nse Essien (ONNA), Lawrence David (Eket), Charity Ido (Ukanafun) and Barr Otobong Bob (Nsit Ubium).
The rest of the lawmakers in support of the motion were: Hon. Udeme Otong (Abak), Hon. Effiong Johnson (Mbo) and Rt. Hon. Udo Kierian Akpan (Oruk Anam).
The lawmakers who sought proper accreditation of motherless babies home, registered centres and made it known to the state as centres for protecting children, advised security agencies and Women Affairs to come up with a bill to regulate such menace.
While stating that there were existing Child Rights Law to be revisited and implemented by the state government, they revealed that inmates in the prison custody were involved in child trafficking.
Wondering why such inhumanity should become a lucrative business, the Akwa Ibom legislature who said traffickers were paying heavily for victims used for rituals, sited various instances where children were snatched from the parents at gunpoints.
Reading the resolution, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey who stated that government should impose stringent penalties on those practicing child theft, submitted that government should equally direct the Ethical & Attitudinal Reorientation Commission (EARCOM) to embark on adequate sensitization to curb the menace.
