By Olamide Iwala

Renowned women and children’s rights advocate, Betty Abah, has called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s child-protection framework, citing the plight of minors in underserved communities.

Abah, who is the founder of CEE-HOPE Nigeria, made the call during a live interview on News Central Breakfast Extra, a current affairs television programme themed “From Fame to Detention.”

She lamented what she described as a systemic failure in the treatment of vulnerable children, using the case of Alabi Quadri, a teenager whose fame during the 2023 presidential campaign of Mr. Peter Obi turned into misfortune as a glaring example.

Quadri, who had become an internet sensation after boldly stepping in front of Obi’s convoy, allegedly became a target in his community after refusing to share money with some youths who believed he had received financial rewards for his action.

His refusal reportedly led to his abduction by two community youths while returning from work. He was subsequently accused of armed robbery, detained and misrepresented as an adult by law enforcement authorities.

“Until we begin to address cases like this, many young people in Nigeria will continue to be victims of gross injustice,” Abah said.

She further expressed concern over the poor understanding of child-protection protocols by the police, urging authorities to carry out a sweeping review of the operational structure and training framework of security personnel.

“We really need to sit back and have a review of the set-up in our police force and see how there can be a drastic change,” she stressed.

Abah maintained that without stronger laws and better institutional awareness, Nigeria would continue to witness cases of wrongful detention and abuse of minors.