Benue Assembly Demands Probe into Rising Cases of Missing Children in the State

The Benue State House of Assembly has urged security agencies to investigate the alarming increase in child abductions across the state.

The call came during a motion presented by Hon. Douglas Akya (APC, Makurdi South) on Thursday at the plenary session held in Makurdi, the state capital.

Hon. Akya highlighted that seven children were abducted in Makurdi in September, naming some of the victims as Kananfe Jika (4), Shimen Tyonenge (5), and Kakuman Tyonenge (7), all affiliated with the Nigerian Correctional Service, Apir.

He emphasized the severe physical, psychological, and emotional trauma inflicted on the children and warned that these criminal acts undermine the overall security of the state.

Akya reminded the Assembly that Nigeria is a signatory to several international and regional conventions against child trafficking, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. He also noted that the Child Rights Act of 2003 criminalizes child trafficking and abduction, yet the problem persists.

The motion was seconded by Hon. Terna Shimawua (APC, Kyan), who described the motion as timely and urged parents to remain vigilant.

In his ruling, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Alfred Emberga, called on the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the Ministry of Justice and Public Order, and other relevant agencies to take proactive measures in preventing child trafficking and supporting victims and their families.

Emberga further urged the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to enhance their presence and operations, especially at border communities and transit points.

He directed the House Committee on Local Government, Security, and Chieftaincy Affairs to engage with heads of security agencies operating within the state for collaborative efforts.

The Speaker also encouraged the state government to partner with faith-based organizations, traditional rulers, and civil society groups to launch extensive public sensitization campaigns focused on child protection and the dangers of trafficking.

Finally, Rt. Hon. Emberga mandated the Clerk of the House, Bem Mela, to communicate the resolutions of the motion to the relevant agencies for immediate implementation.