Former senator and human rights activist, Shehu Sani, has put forward a set of policy recommendations aimed at ending the rampant cases of child trafficking across Nigeria.
In a statement titled “How to End the Stealing of Children”, Sani outlined eight key measures that he believes will help combat the menace. Chief among them is a proposed ban on night travel for children under the age of 13.
He also recommended that any interstate travel involving children in private or commercial vehicles should require police permits, and that joint security task force checkpoints be established at the exit points of all states to verify the identities and guardianship of children in transit.
The former lawmaker called for life imprisonment for convicted child traffickers and advocated for the creation of a regulatory commission to oversee and monitor the operations of orphanages in the country.
In addition, Sani suggested that schools must provide written consent whenever children are to travel outside their state. He also urged the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to demand evidence of consent at motor parks before allowing children to board.
Finally, he emphasized the critical role of parental vigilance in preventing child abduction and trafficking.
Sani’s proposals come amidst rising concerns over child theft and trafficking in various parts of the country, with calls for more proactive and coordinated efforts to tackle the growing crisis.
