A 12-year-old child known only as Adamu had both of his hands amputated by his relative for allegedly robbing a phone in Gombe State.

Mwalin Abdu, on May 27, the vice chairman of the state’s Nigerian Bar Association, made this public.

Abdu, who also serves as the NBA’s Human Rights Committee Chair, brought attention to the development on Children’s Day, which was honoured on a global scale.

In a statement, titled: “Protecting our future: Urgent action needed on child protection in Gombe State,” which she issued on Monday, she said: “In 2018, we woke up to the story of young Zubair Abubakar (13 years old), whose arms were amputated because of the abuse by his teacher, just four days ago was another devastating story of 12-year-old Adamu from Tumu District in Akko LG of same Gombe State who also lost his arms due to similar incident with Zubair Abubakar, over alleged theft of phone.

“Even though the office of the Attorney General has taken over the prosecution of the cases, we believe that is not enough, because these two stories are just a tip of the iceberg of the numerous daily reported and unreported complaints or cases of child abuse in the state, ranging from sexual abuse, child labour, child molestation, child trafficking and so on.

“The heartbreaking tales of young victims like Zubair Abubakar and Adamu from Gombe State underscore a troubling reality: child abuse remains a pervasive issue in our communities, transcending mere headlines to expose the harsh realities faced by our most vulnerable members.

“While the ratification of the child protection law in 2022 was a pivotal step, the gap between legislation and its effective enforcement looms large, leaving children at risk and their futures uncertain.

“The time for passive observance has passed, the safeguarding of every child’s well-being demands immediate and resolute action.

“Gombe State must move swiftly to implement and enforce the child protection law, ensuring that those who exploit and harm our children face the full force of justice.

“Robust reporting mechanisms, specialised victim support services, and widespread awareness campaigns are imperative to redress the rampant abuse, exploitation, and trafficking that plague our dear state.

“On this National Children’s Day, let us recommit ourselves to the noble cause of defending our children’s rights in Gombe State.

“Their safety is non-negotiable, and our duty is unwavering – to shield them from harm and equip them with the resilience to surmount the challenges that lie ahead.

“Gombe State stands on the threshold of change; the time for action is now.

“Let us rise as one to protect our children, nurture their dreams, and embolden them to carve a future steeped in promise.

“The moment beckons, and our children look to us for a brighter tomorrow.”

In its reaction to the development on Monday, The Gombe State Government said it has filed charges against the man who amputated Adamu’s hands.

Abubakar Jungudo, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Gombe State Ministry of Justice, confirmed this to newsmen.

Jungudo said: “We are going to prosecute the defendant.

“We are awaiting the assignment of the case by the Chief Judge of Gombe State.

“One of the Magistrates in Kashere drew my attention to the case, having seen the seriousness of the injury and it was referred to the Gombe State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.”

The minimum salary that was initially suggested by the Federal Government at a meeting of the tripartite committee on minimum wage in Abuja on Tuesday was increased by N3,000 to N60,000.

During the most recent minimum wage conference, organised labor—which includes the Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Labour Congress—also reduced their request by N3,000 from N497,000.

Labour leaders were not pleased with the sum that the government had suggested, according to a source who provided the breakdown during the meeting on Tuesday.

A member of the union who spoke to our correspondent before the meeting started noted that organised labour would only go lower if the government went higher on its demands.

“This is simply a case of if they go higher, we will go lower. They need to propose something reasonable for us to propose something lower too. There is no two-way about it.

“Also, we have a way of meeting as members of the Labour before each committee meeting. This will help us to take a uniform stand by the time we get to the meeting front.

“So as long as the government is ready to present something reasonable, we will meet them in the middle,” the labour leader said.

More to come…

In a move that has sparked both nostalgia and controversy, the Nigerian Senate passed a bill to revert to the country’s old national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee”.

The bill, which was passed on Tuesday, now awaits assent into law by President Bola Tinubu.

The old anthem, which was introduced in 1960, was replaced with the current one, “Arise, O Compatriots”, in 1978.

The move to revert to the old anthem has been met with mixed reactions, with some Nigerians hailing the decision as a return to the country’s rich cultural heritage, while others have expressed concerns about the implications of such a change.

More to come…