Children are the joys of parenthood and strengthen marriages. That is why society has devoted concentrated attention to the development of children to ensure that societies do not go into extinction.
Society pays special attention to the safety of a child too and equally, sees to his/her survival as the survival and maintenance of the society depends on such a child.
That is why even during wars and famines, children are given special preferences because of their vulnerability.
However, the events of the recent past show that society has equally allowed children to become preys and victims of many societal ills. What else could explain the constant disappearing of children within the state with no one providing answers?
In March, a 4-year-old girl was kidnapped in Ahoada-East in front of her school. In May, two children were kidnapped in Rumuosi. In June, a 5-year-old was equally kidnapped at Rumuigbo. All these kidnappings of school-aged children, no one seems to have reasonable answers relating to his or her whereabouts. These are the ones in the public domain because of the fact that their parents took to social media to air their grievances.
Are we not failing, as a people, in our duty of protecting the vulnerable? How can we allow such an ugly trend to continue unabated?
The security agencies tasked with the protection of lives and properties in the state seem overwhelmed by the level of crime occurring in the state. This is why the decision of the state government to employ a community-based policing look most probably in order so as to complement security agencies within the state.
Although it has been rebuffed in some quarters as a political tool designed for the upcoming elections, Theportcitynews, however, believes that the government has its job cut out for it.
While that is in the offing, parents also need to be sensitized on the need to provide primary security for their children. There is a grim ripper out there waiting to devour them. Schools also have to ensure that children put under their care are well protected until when they are safely in the hands of their parents or trusted guardians.
The decision to ensure that their future is not in any way tampered with is ours to make. We have to convince ourselves individually on the need to make sure that it happens while we pressure security agencies into playing their own part to ensure that total safety is guaranteed to school children.
Theportcitynews also calls on the government to step up on measures that would ensure total safety of Rivers children and equally equip security agencies to ensure a rapid response when issues of kidnapping arise.
Theportcitynews equally believes that such responsibilities are not beyond us as indigenes and residents in the state. It is our job and we must see that it is carried out effectively.
