By Daniel Tyokua
A former Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede has floated a group, Sure for you Rescue and Resettlement Initiative (Sure4U), to help tackle increasing cases of kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities across the country.
During the unveiling of the NGO on Tuesday in Abuja, Babandede said the initiative is being targeted at addressing the cases of out of school children on the street.
He explained that SURE4U seeks to promote the right and dignity of children, by countering the exploitation of child labour and child abuse in all it forms through high impact interventions that address the critical needs of the street children and those with peculiar needs.
According to him, the NGO intends to work in collaboration with relevant stakeholders in discouraging trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, whilst providing psychosocial and other needed assistance to returning migrants for purpose of rehabilitation and integration.
Babandede said: ” There are a lot of crisis in the country because of vulnerability, there a lot of people who are in a difficult situation, is not because they cause it but the society made them so.
“Records available show that Nigeria has the highest number of out of school children in the world. The crisis Nigeria is facing, Boko Haram, banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and many other uprising in different sectors is affecting the children.
‘Sure 4 U’ is out to fight for the vulnerable, if you leave children on the street without any help they can go into any business., and this business is recruiting of these children into banditry, robbery, kidnapping and terrorism.
“We form this NGO to remove this children from the risk of become criminals and other dangerous agents.
“We are concerned with connecting the vulnerable children to their parents, you solve children’s problem by training them and making sure that they attend the age of freedom, not just keeping them in the camp” he said.
On his part , the Minister of State, Finance, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, who unveiled the SUREu4 described it as a vital vehicle for societal change.
He commended the NGO for seeking to pursue social justice, gender and equality, protection and integration of vulnerable children into society through intervention, advocacy and education, which is in line with the government’s objective.
Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman, SURE4U Board of Trustees (BOT), Senator Usman K. Umar, Sarkin Kibiya, described the initiative as a milestone in the quest for social justice and other objectives, aimed at improving the society.
Umar, a Senator, who represented Kano South Senatorial District, in the 3rd Republic, appealed to government at all levels, Nigeria stakeholders and international community to be part of the NGO’s noble venture, aimed at tackling challenges threatening the stability of Nigeria as establishment.
