Child protection in Benue State requires faster coordination among civil society, justice institutions and specialist agencies. That message guided an advocacy visit by the Child Protection Network (CPN) to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof Timothy Yangen Ornguga.
OWACDO participated as an active network member, drawing on more than 15 years of experience working with children and vulnerable communities.
Four priorities for a stronger protection system
CPN State Coordinator Amos Uzua raised four advocacy requests: a swift response to rising cases of missing children; inclusion of CPN in the State Task Force on Human Trafficking; participation in state-led capacity-building initiatives; and stronger collaboration between the Ministry of Justice and the Network.
These priorities are connected. Missing-child cases may involve different risks and require timely information-sharing, while anti-trafficking structures benefit from organisations that work closely with communities and can help identify emerging concerns.
Ministry signals readiness to collaborate
The Attorney General acknowledged the Network’s work and reaffirmed the Ministry’s readiness to collaborate. He also noted cooperation with NAPTIP on the return of missing children and reported that some progress had been made.
Formal collaboration can help civil-society organisations understand referral pathways, share credible information and contribute community evidence to state responses without duplicating official roles.
Collective action for children’s safety
The meeting closed with a shared commitment to partnership, with OWACDO Executive Director Dr Joy Ijuwo delivering the vote of thanks.
Advocacy visits are most valuable when commitments lead to clear communication and sustained joint action. OWACDO will continue contributing its experience and community relationships to efforts that prevent trafficking, respond to missing-child cases and strengthen justice and protection for every child.