By Deborah Akpede
A security expert, Mr Seyi Babaeko, has attributed the increase in children killing their parents to drug abuse.
Babaeko, the Managing Director of Absolute Security and Advance Protocol Ltd., said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
NAN reports that homicide involving parents are mostly committed by male children while many of these killings take place in the home with knife and other sharp objects as most common weapons used.
It will be recalled that many cases of children killing their parents have been reported in the last four months.
An example is the case of a 17-year-old boy, who was arrested by the Police Command in Edo on July 15 for allegedly using a sledgehammer to kill his father, 70, in his sleep to steal his money.
The Command also arrested a 32-year-old man for allegedly killing his parents with a pestle, dragged their corpses to the back of the house and used weed to cover them.
Similarly, on Oct. 3, a 25-year old man, was apprehended by Lagos police for allegedly stabbing his 68-year-old father to death over misunderstanding in the Isolo area of the state.
Also, the police in Lagos apprehended a 23-year-old man on Oct. 17 for allegedly stabbing his parents to death for advising him to stop taking drugs.
A 25-year-old drug addict was apprehended by police operatives in Delta for allegedly hacking his mother to death with an axe on Sept. 6, set her body ablaze and then made away with her Sienna vehicle.
On July 30, a 29-year-old man allegedly killed his father, 65, with hoe and buried his decapitated remains in a shallow grave within the compound.
He was arrested by the Police Command in Niger.
There was also a story of two brothers, who killed their father on June 9, and dumped his corpse in the bush, they were apprehended by Adamawa Police Command.
Babaeko, who expressed concern over the rise, listed high unemployment rate and moral decadence as other factors contributing to the rate of homicidal attacks.
“Most atrocities are carried out by cultists, thugs, and family members with psychological issues.
“Had it been our health care system is reliable, many people roaming the street would have been admitted to psychiatric hospitals.
“A whole lot of Nigerians are silently battling mental issues and depression,” he said.
Babaeko called for concerted efforts to
mitigate the menace.
“The government should create a safer environment where the youth can thrive.
“Create job training, employment initiatives and also launch public awareness campaigns on the dangers of drug abuse and violence.
“Implement workshops for parents on effective communication and monitoring media consumption.”
Babaeko also urged the police to build trust with the communities to encourage reporting of drug abuse and other crimes.
He appealed to schools to establish career counseling services and revise curricula to include life skills, moral education, and awareness of drug abuse and its consequences.
The security expert urged parents not to neglect their parental roles but mentor their children in a morally correct manner.
He admonished religious and traditional leaders to use their platforms to condemn drug abuse and create a supportive environment for the youth, empowering them to make positive choices for a better future. (NAN)
