The Lagos State Government has taken custody of the two toddlers that were allegedly raped by their father’s friends and co-workers recently, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Lola Akande, has said.

She said that the children, ages five and three, have been rescued from the abusive environment and taken to one of the Children Homes for proper psychotherapy and guardianship, adding that the Ministry will henceforth be responsible for their upkeep and educational pursuit.

Akande added that the ministry is working with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to ensure that the perpetrators of such crime do not go free and are prosecuted according to the Law of the State.

She commended the NGO that brought the children’s plight to public domain and urged the citizens of the state to be vigilant and report any case of child abuse or domestic violence noticed in their vicinity to the Ministry by calling any of the dedicated help lines for child abuse or domestic violence on numbers: 08102678443, 08085754226 and 08085594141.

The commissioner further disclosed that the ministry would also assist the parents whose circumstances gave way for the molestation of their children, but enjoined parents to create time for their children/wards and monitor them and their activities at home and in schools.

She promised that the present administration will assist the victims’ father to be gainfully employed by enrolling him in one of the Ministry’s Skill Acquisition Centres to learn a vocation after which he would be empowered to practice the trade on completion of his training.

It would be recalled that the NSCDC paraded four suspects last week for allegedly sexually abusing the sisters.

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