Henceforth, any person who abducts a child in Akwa Ibom will face death
sentence like a kidnapper under the state Child’s Rights and
anti-Terrorism Act.
Already, 25 persons arrested for alleged child abduction by security
agents in the state are to face trial while 30 kidnapped children from
Akwa Ibom and some neighboring states have been rescued.
Akpabio, who stated this Sunday during the 50th birthday celebration of
Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem, the state Commissioner of Special Duties
thanksgiving service at Power City International, Uyo, remarked that the
convicts would face death sentence like hardened criminals.
According to him, the trauma parents go through in such incident is always
heart breaking and assured that every child abductor would be brought to
book.
He then called on the people of the state to report any suspicious
movement to security agencies and to always be security conscious at all
times, hinting that five teams of security agencies are carrying out
investigation to check child theft in the state.
The celebrator, Enoidem, disclosed that the history of his life
characterised by the exceeding grace of God, which he said he wasn’t even
qualified for, stressing that education is the bedrock for what he has now
become in life and that his wife and family are the pillar and inspiration
of his life.
In his homily, Pastor Abel Damina, who preached on the topic, “The
Supernatural Church’, said the church of God was born supernatural since
the days of Pentecost in the Bible, pointing out that the mission of God
was for children of God to function in the supernatural, which he stressed
that the supernatural signifies the realm of God.
Later at a grand reception organised for Enoidem at Ibom Hall grounds,
Uyo, the Governor warned teachers to desist from abusing school children
in Akwa Ibom because offenders would face stiff punishment, pointing out
“We have made direct phone numbers available to school children and their
parents so that they can call or send text messages and report any
molestation.
“I assure them that I will not only punish the teacher in question through
dismissal, I will also punish the principal of the school if it comes to
my notice that the Principal did not take action to stop the child from
being molested. Parents, take care of your wards and ensure that they are
not abused and taken into child labour and trafficking.
Akpabio, however, described Enoidem as a man with abundant initiative, who
only report results and not efforts, and advised leaders at various levels
to borrow a leaf from the Commissioner, advising “For some of you who have
the chance to be managers of resources for Akwa Ibom State, try and
develop initiatives, have it in abundance and then move the State from one
point to another”.
He reminded the people that the Akwa Ibom State today is not Akwa Ibom of
yesterday, noting “We should bear one thing in mind that Akwa Ibom of 2006
is not the Akwa Ibom of today because the State has changed and there are
a lot of things that require sustainability. There are a lot of things
that we must sustain.
“We must sustain the free and compulsory education programme for our
children, we must sustain the operation zero potholes in the State, we
must maintain the three hotels in the State, we must attract people to the
State; the conference must continue, that means we must secure the State
and make possible for people to come in from all part of the world into
the State, they must see Akwa Ibom State as the Oasis of peace, we must
love one another”, he maintained.
Earlier, the celebrator, Barr Emmanuel Enoidem who had thanked God for His
faithfulness to him and his family and Governor Akpabio for giving him the
opportunity to serve in the State Executive Council recounted God’s
faithfulness to him for seven years as a member of the State Executive
Council.
Enoidem, who thanked Akpabio for the development of Akwa Ibom State,
pledged his continued loyalty to his administration, saying “I will not
disrespect you; I will not disappoint you, not as a governor or as brother
or as the Senator that you are going to be. You have done well for Akwa
Ibom State and I believe God is going to reward with a successor. I can
compare notes with the previous government and I can say that you are good
man”.