In continuation of his intervention to better the lot of the less privileged in the society, the Inspector- General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Tuesday in Lagos, donated several food items and a cow to children at the SOS children village in Isolo area.
Speaking at the occasion, the IGP, represented by the Area Commander, Zone ‘D’ Mushin, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Akinbayo Olasoji called on parents to shun the habit of giving birth to give birth to numerous children when they know they cannot cater for them instead of abandoning them on the streets.
He lamented that some of the abandoned children did not only constitute public nuisance but were used by robbers to perpetrate heinous crimes across the nation.
ACP Olasoji explained that the gesture was part of activities to mark the just concluded Sallah, as well as to give the children a sense of belonging saying, “We are here to donate some items to SOS children in celebration of Sallah.
Furthermore he said, “The IGP is trying to introduce a new dimension in policing, so as to show that in spite of the tedious nature of our job, we are also human and we have the feelings of orphans at heart.
“He is so passionate about giving to children and widows because God has directed that we care for these sets of people.
“We are trying to ensure that some of these children that have been taken from the streets are given a sense of belonging.
“SOS village did well by taking them away from the streets. But if there is no donation from good spirited Nigerians, these children, out of hunger, may be forced to go back to the streets, where they are used for pick-pocketing, traffic robbery and other crimes.
“My advice to them is to focus on their studies and also to be encouraged that no matter where they are today or their background, they can still get to where God has mandated for them to be”.
Olasoji added that the donation would be extended to other orphanages across the country, even as he called on other corporate organizations to extend similar gesture to orphanage homes in order to help keep minors away from crimes.
“It is an offence not to take care of one’s children adding, “Ours as Police, is to arrest anyone found culpable and take him/ her to court. But to avoid that, parents should please give birth to the number of children they can take care of”, he said.
Responding after receiving the provision, foodstuff and cow, the Family Based/Alternative Care Coordinator for SOS children village, Bunmi Onifade, expressed gratitude to the IGP in particular and the Police in general, for the gesture, saying it would go a long way in meeting the children’s need.
She disclosed that over 100 children were being catered for in the village, noting that some of them were in Primary and Secondary schools as well as tertiary institutions.
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