Jose Foundation, a Nigerian international non governmental organisation in the forefront in the fight against sexual exploitation of children and women has felicitated the Acting Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, on his appointment as the 21st indigenous Inspector General of Police of Nigeria.
In a congratulatory message to the new Acting IGP today signed by the president, Jose Foundation UK, Dr Martins Abhulimhen and made available to journalists in Abuja, the foundation hailed the choice of Baba to lead the force at a time the services of the force is most crucial to the stability of Nigeria.
The message reads: “As a police officer, you distinguished yourself in the service of your fatherland Nigeria with purpose, honesty and dedication.
“Your appointment as the acting inspector general of police by the commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, is a clear manifestation of decades of your meritorious service to our great nation.
“We at Jose Foundation UK are indeed very proud of you and have a firm belief that your years of experience and expertise will bring about the much-desired change in the Nigerian security architecture.
“Jose Foundation UK wishes you a successful term in office while we are confident that the Nigeria Police Force under your command will effectively complement other security structures in winning the war against all security challenges confronting our great nation Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, Jose Foundation has called on the Acting IGP to consider setting up Children’s Commissioners Office within the Nigerian Police Force to promote and protect the rights of children, especially the most vulnerable, and stands up for their views and interests.
That child sexual abuse has been become unprecedented in Nigeria with daily reported cases on the rise.
“The Children’s Commissioner speaks up for children and young people so that policymakers and the people who have an impact on their lives take their views and interests into account when making decisions about them.
“The Children’s Commissioner has unique powers to help bring about long-term change and improvements for all children, particularly the most vulnerable.
“The commissioner does this by first gathering evidence: talking to children and young people, requesting information from public institutions and then carrying out research and compiling information on the wide range of things that affect children’s lives.
“The officer is the ‘eyes and ears’ of children in the system and the country as a whole and is expected to carry out her duties ‘without fear or favour’ of Government, children’s agencies, and the voluntary and private sectors.
“The Office also provides advice to children who are in or leaving care, living away from home or working with social services through her advice line.
The foundation urged the IGP to hit the ground running as expectations are high of him going by his excellent record of service in the Nigeria police Force.
It noted that it will not be deterred by some of the socio-cultural and religious obstacles in pursing GBV in the country.
The foundation lamented that figures of rape and abuses of minors coming out of Nigeria are alarming.
“These figures in Nigeria are indicative of a systemic failure in handling this spiralling crime which the new IGP must address to stem the tides. For instance, a poll conducted by NOIPOLLS in July 2019, revealed that most Nigerians (85%) believe that there is a high prevalence of rape in Nigeria. This is alarming and we cannot sit and allow it to continue to grow into a monster.
“According to the report, “about 3 in 10 Nigerians (26 per cent) disclosed that they know someone who has been raped in the past and the rape victims were particularly minors and young adults aged between 1 – 15 years (72 per cent) and 16 – 25 years (24 per cent) respectively.
“This statistic implies that one in every three girls would have experienced at least one form of sexual abuse by the time they reach 25 years”.
“Jose Foundation cannot stand by and do nothing while the futures of many of our young ones are truncated and others traumatised by the people who are supposed act as their shield. We will continue to act within the ambit of the law to ensure that all Nigerian children are protected from child predators and justice served to child offenders.”
Founded in Abuja Nigeria in 2003 by Prince Dr Martins Abhulimhen and guided by the principles of excellence, pioneering and generosity true to its founder, Jose Foundation strives to foster positive change and enable people to live a meaningful and fulfilling life in a more equitable and safer environment.
Jose Foundation shapes and implements a needs-based and result-oriented philanthropic strategy that aims to build the capacities and strengthen the resilience of the most vulnerable groups, children and women in particular.
It supports innovative, impactful and lasting initiatives in low-income countries that promote women’s economic and social development, that provide access to basic services, that engage with communities to encourage the responsible management of natural resources and that deliver humanitarian assistance to children and their families when natural disasters strike.