The National Orientation Agency, NOA, Nasarawa State directorate on Friday, organised sensitisation program to create awareness on the new trend of insecurity; child soldiers’ recruitment by terrorists in the northeastern and other parts of the country.
Speaking at a sensitisation organised for stakeholders in Lafia, Dr Priscilla Gondoaluor, Director, NOA, Nasarawa State, said that the agency had the mandate to sensitise people, so that they could engage in activities that would hurt the trend.
According to her, the sensitisation of the stakeholders in the state became necessary to enable them to monitor the movement and the company they children keep so as to secure their future.
Gondoaluor said that the terrorists had taken advantage of the economic situation in the country to lure and recruit young boys who were mostly uninformed and naive into their gang at tender age and raised them as terrorists.
“These young ones are brain-washed and made to accept the ways of life of the terrorists and bandits, grow up to enlarge that group, it shows that they future is in jeopardy and it poses great dangers to the society.
“To support the activities of the state government under the leadership of Gov. Abdullahi Sule who is doing everything to stem the tide of insecurity in Nasarawa state, we are sensitising stakeholders: traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents and youths leader.
“We are speaking with them; and also hear from them to get a commitment on how this incidence of child-soldiers can be stemmed,” she said.
Speaking at the event, the Emir of Lafia, retired Justice Sidi Bage, represented by Aliyu Sanda, Gayam Lafia, commended the Agency for the sensitisation.
He noted that the traditional rulers would work with relevant authorities to ensure that the unfortunate did not get to state.
“As parents, we should keep eyes on our children, be observant as well as monitoring their companies, we cannot afford to jeopardise the relative peace we are enjoying in the state,” he said.
The sensitisation had in attendance the traditional rulers, religious leaders, Department of State Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence, Road Safety Corps, National Union of Road and Transport Workers, National Youths Council of Nigeria and Independent National Electoral Commission.
