The Plateau State Commissioner for women affairs and social development, Mrs. Rufina Gurumyen has said that the 145 abducted children, who were intercepted by the Police in Plateau, did not eat for six days.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the spokesman for the Plateau State command, Mr. Terna Tyopev said the children, aged between four and eight years, were being moved from Jigawa and Bauchi to Plateau, Kaduna and Nasarawa states.
According to him, they were being moved in two trucks to unknown destinations, when the police intercepted the vehicles.
The commissioner, who spoke on the minors, at an advocacy visit by the Community Based Development (CBD), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), to her office on Tuesday in Jos, described the abduction as “very sad”.
She said that the Police had commenced investigation into the matter.
“It is pathetic that the more than 145 children were on transit to an unknown destination for six days without food or even having their baths.
“My ministry was immediately called upon after the recovery, and we are making enquiries to ensure appropriate action,” she said.
The government official commended the fervent efforts of the NGO toward reducing the cases of Gender-Based Violence cases, and expressed government’s readiness to support such efforts.
She called on women groups and NGOs to shore up efforts to sensitise and create awareness amongst women on self value so as to break the norm of silence.
In her remarks Mrs. Vou Shom, the coordinator of the CBD, commended the ministry for ensuring that the Gender Equality Law was at the State Assembly for further actions.
She said that the law would further reduce the number of cases of Gender-Based Violence, especially wife battering, child rape and psychological torture.
