19th August, 2017
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Lagos State Government has described the imprisonment of 80 underage children recently set free from different prisons across the State by the Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Funmilayo Atilade as unlawful.
The government restated its full support for the protection of children’s rights through the Child Rights Law.
The Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Funmilola Odunlami made this known of Friday at Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja during an interactive session with relevant stakeholders on children welfare matters, including prison officials, officers of the Nigeria Police Force, among others.
She explained that the intention of the Child Rights Law was to prescribe appropriate sanctions for children found in conflict with the law and provide appropriate rehabilitation methods rather than issuing imprisonment term.
According to the Solicitor-General, there was need to provide appropriate training for Magistrates presiding over matters concerning children in conflict with the law as well as relevant stakeholders, adding that the appropriate court which is Family Court should be allowed to exercise jurisdiction on matters affecting minors.
She said that there was need for all hands to be on deck to checkmate incidence of restiveness among children through proper parental upbringing and societal support.
“Parents must begin to assume responsibility for their children by being more alive to their responsibilities. Gone are the days when parents left their roles to religious organisations and government.
“Legal officers should also know their areas of jurisdictions and limitations as well as law enforcement officers so that appropriate authorities could be contacted when the need arises,” she stated.
Odunlami maintained that if appropriate courts were allowed to preside over issues that concerned them directly, the incidence of sentencing minors to prisons would drastically reduce.
Stakeholders at the occasion deliberated on issues regarding alternative means of punishing children and introduction of community services by Magistrates when sentencing the minors.
They also sought for improved synergy between Ministry of Youth and Social Development and Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation for the introduction of additional skills acquisition programmes for children in correctional centres and rehabilitation homes.