Kidnappers are everywhere and they are usually friendly to people or near children. You have to be careful to protect your children from harm, especially since a new school year has begun.
John Gyong, professor of sociology and expert in criminology and security issues, explained that parents are expected to protect their children as they play an important role at home. He said that when children are brought to school, it is the responsibility of the school authorities to ensure their safety. He advised parents to be responsible for their children’s safety at all times or to make sure they are in safe hands when they are not available.
The National President of the Association of Licensed Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria, Dr. Wilson Esangbedo, held the view that parents/guardians must ensure the safety of their children as they cannot be entrusted to anyone. He pointed out that everyone is a potential robber/kidnapper and that parents should not be too busy watching their children.
Esangbedo, who is also executive secretary of the Nigerian Institute for Industrial Security, gave some safety tips to protect children from robbers.
Educate them
It is important to educate children on how to recognize predators and kidnappers because if they are aware of the danger, they can protect themselves by running away from these people or calling for help. Gyong said that children should be educated on how to recognize certain characteristics of predators and kidnappers and that they should not trust anyone outside the home, especially those who are not family or those who are unnecessarily kind, caring, or generous to them.
He added that parents must ensure that their children do not eat food outside the home or accept anything from strangers, as predators have been known to use drugged food to have children. The safety expert pointed out that parents need to take time to teach their children to trust them and not react to strangers.
give them codes
"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good: His love endures forever."
The sociologist advised parents to give their children codes to prevent strangers and predators from accessing them anywhere and anytime. Esangbedo added that parents who hire someone to pick up their children from school should give the children a code so the person can pick them up. The code can also be used when the children are home alone, he said. He gave the example of a woman who tried to kidnap her sister’s children but was unsuccessful because she could not provide the code the parents had given the children when they requested it.
take them to school Parents need to make sure they take their children to school themselves or have a reliable driver who does and make sure the children are dropped off directly at the school authorities. Parents must take the time to pick up their children from school because if there is a delay, the children might be tired and hungry and someone might cheat them with food or some other kind of assistance,” Gyong explained. In addition, he said, children should not be allowed to stay on school grounds unsupervised and should remain inside the school grounds until they are picked up by their parents or guardians. This would prevent them from falling into the hands of kidnappers or robbers.
double control
Parents must be overly vigilant and double-check the people who are supposed to pick up their children from school. In addition, the security expert explained that parents or guardians should not rely on the school bus, but should check with the driver or teacher on the bus before handing them their children. “Some parents do not check, and as soon as they see the name of the school bus, they tell their children to get on. They need to make sure and verify their identities,” he added.
teaching kids safety awareness
In general, children pay more attention to their teachers, so schools need to spend time teaching children safety awareness and using examples, in addition to teaching them at home. Esangbedo added that children should be told the truth about the dangers of negligence in safety without mincing words.
gIVE INSTRUCTIONS
The safety expert advised parents to give instructions to their children when leaving them at home, school, or elsewhere. This would help children recognize anyone approaching them as a potential predator or kidnapper, whether they are close relatives or friends.
take responsibility
Children are vulnerable to predators and should be under observation at all times. Esangbedo advised parents to make sure their children do not walk to and from school alone. “I see many children running around on the road and crossing the expressway alone. Some of them are run over or kidnapped by oncoming vehicles. Parents should take responsibility for the safety of their children,” he said.
