Gombe recorded 48 cases of child abandonment in six months, says NHCR

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) says 48 cases of child abandonment were recorded in six months in Gombe state.

NAN reports that Ali Alola-Alfinti, spokesperson of the NHRC in the state, said the cases were recorded from January to June this year.

Alola-Alfinti said the rate of child abuse and abandonment cases reported to the commission is disturbing, adding that about 130 human rights violation issues were also recorded within the same period.

He said many parents are ignorant about the rights of children as stipulated in the 1999 constitution.

“The increasing cases of child abandonment have become a cause for concern for the commission,” he said.

“Child abandonment is a violation of human rights; when you abandon a child who cannot take care of himself or herself, they are left at the mercy of anyone and that situation is better imagined than to be experienced.”

The NHRC spokesperson said that the commission has noticed that poverty, lack of commitment and care from fathers are major reasons for child abandonment in the state.

“It is not right to have children and not cater for their needs as parents. We are appealing to stakeholders to tackle this prob of child abandonment in the state,” he said.

He called on stakeholders to take urgent actions to address the situation, adding that the commission has commenced a sensitisation programme to educate citizens on the impact of child right violation.