VC to parents: Stop buying expensive phones for your children — they are exposed to criminals

Noah Yusuf, vice-chancellor of Al-Hikmah University in Kwara state, has advised parents against buying expensive phones for their children.

Yusuf spoke at the university’s stakeholders congress held on Wednesday in Ilorin, Kwara state capital.

He said the quality of phones and similar materials purchased for youths still in school, are attractive to criminals.

“Such expensive items expose such young people to kidnappers, robbers and other criminals,” NAN quoted the VC saying.

“That encourages them to either rob or kidnap such students in order to steal such property from them.

“While the phone is essential for students as it aids teaching and learning, less expensive ones, which would serve the same functions, can be bought for the students and save them from criminally minded individuals.

“Buying phones worth N1 million, or with higher sums, for students is not advisable since such students can make do with phones that are not as expensive.”

Yusuf said a female student of the university was recently robbed of her expensive phones, twice, by her boyfriend.

“The boyfriend believed that he would make much money if he was able to dispossess the girl of her expensive phones,” he said.

Yusuf explained that following the first case of robbery, the parents of the girl bought her a better and more expensive phone, only for the boyfriend to arrange for the theft of the second phone.

He also advised parents to cultivate the habit of paying unscheduled visits to their children and wards to know the kind of friends they move with.

“Such visits can help parents to take note of possible attitudinal changes for possible corrections,” the VC added.