The Nigeria Police Force in collaboration with an NGO, Centre for Family Peace, have concluded plans to tackle the increasing rate of crimes among juveniles in the country.
The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Olukayode Egbetokun said this at the inauguration of the Steering Committee on the Implementation and Execution of the Annual I-G Conference on Juvenile Crime Prevention and Control Project , on Friday in Abuja.H
He said the theme for the maiden edition of the conference is ‘Effective Family Relationship Strategies for Juvenile Crime Prevention and Control.’
Egbetokun, represented by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Mr Mohammed Dankwara commended the centre for the initiative.
The I-G said the Nigeria Police was aware of the devastating effect of crimes and offences, perpetrated by young people, teenagers, juveniles or adolescents on communities across the country.
Egbetokun acknowledged the urgent need for a comprehensive approach, as well as concerted efforts and commitments to address the root causes of behavioural problems among young people.
According to him, it was on this note that the Nigeria Police approved the partnership with the centre to join forces in tackling the ugly trend among young people.
“There is a consensus among family and child development experts that the cause of juvenile offences is the family. Hence, the solution to the problem can be found in the family too.
`This official inauguration of the conference signals the commencement of the implementation of this novel project, aimed at preventing juvenile crime and promoting positive development of young people in Nigeria.
“To deliver this conference project, there will be need for collaboration with the different extra-familial institutions like government at all levels and their agencies, the church, the school and the media,” he said.
He urged members of the steering committee to take the assignment very seriously to deliver positive outcomes that would arrest the ugly trend of juvenile crime.
In his remark, Mr Chinedum Ikogwe, Executive Director and Founder of the NGO, said the project was borne out of the need to address the challenges of crime and criminality among juveniles.
He said the project was designed to be taken to all the states of the federation, where the governors are expected to host it in their various states.
Ikogwe blamed the ugly trend among juveniles on failure of parents to live up to their responsibilities by engaging in the pursuit of material things and abandoning the home.
According to him, juvenile crime is a family based problem that requires family based solution because it has to do with character deficiency of children.
He said the choice of the Nigeria Police for the partnership followed the fact that the police is the foremost law enforcement agency in the country.
Ikogwe commended the I-G for the speedy approval of the project
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