NASFAT Marks Children’s Day 2026, Demands Urgent Action on Missing and Kidnapped Children
By Babatunde Aremu
The Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society of Nigeria [NASFAT] has called on the Federal Government and all stakeholders to take immediate and decisive action to secure the safe return of Nigeria’s missing and kidnapped children.
In a statement issued to commemorate Children’s Day, NASFAT President, Alhaji Ayodeji Abdulrauf, FCS, said the Day is a solemn reminder of every child who has gone missing and has not yet returned home.
“Each one is a cherished soul and a profound loss felt by families across Nigeria,” he said. “The most recent was the abduction of school children, teachers, and the principal in Oyo State. Today, NASFAT calls on government and stakeholders to fulfill their solemn obligation to deploy every resource of the Federal Government and local authorities to bring them home safely.”
The Society expressed concern over the impact of past open-border policies, which it said contributed to thousands of children being lost or placed with unvetted sponsors. NASFAT described it as a betrayal of the most vulnerable and called on the present administration to act with resolve to reverse the injustice.
“Enough is enough. Let the poor breathe, for Allah’s sake,” Abdulrauf stated. “The Federal Government must launch an unprecedented initiative with state and local governments to find the thousands of missing children and return them safely to their home states. It must not rest until every last one is safe.”
NASFAT urged the government to seal and secure Nigeria’s borders, deploy security personnel to vulnerable locations, and dismantle networks involved in child trafficking and kidnapping. It also called for the strengthening of security infrastructure, equipping the military, police, and other agencies with the funding and tools needed to bring perpetrators to justice.
The Society said it would continue to advocate until child kidnapping and related crimes are reduced to historic lows or eradicated across the country.
“As we commemorate Children’s Day, NASFAT holds the children who have yet to come home close in our hearts and remains firm in our promise to their families that we will never stop praying for their return,” Abdulrauf said. “We will leave no stone unturned until Nigeria’s children are safe, protected, and free.”
