The chief of air staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, has promised to help inculcate the peace club initiative in all Nigerian Air Force schools nationwide.
He said he would also support the best way possible in the fight against child terrorism.
Amao disclosed this when he received the Federal Capital Territory representative of the Nigerian Children’s Parliament, Miss Splendour Joe-King and members of her entourage at the NAF headquarters, Abuja, where he pledged the support of NAF to the children’s parliament in its quest to minimise the vulnerability of children and protect them against all forms of terrorism.
The NAF director of public relations and information, Air Cdre Edward Gabkwet, said in a statement that Amao noted that the timing of her project which seeks to transform the lives of vulnerable children could not have come at a better time considering the myriad of security challenges and other sensitive issues confronting Nigeria as a nation.
He said; “It is commendable that as a young lady, you have focused your attention on helpless children bearing in mind that sustenance of peace is key to nation building.”
He advised Miss Joe-King to look beyond her current focus on assisting school children but also focus on out-of-school children and women who according to him, bear the brunt of conflicts and are more vulnerable to being recruited as terrorists.
Air Marshal Amao further urged that the awareness campaign initiated be intensified, especially in rural communities to educate school children on the implications and effects of child terrorism and other social vices.
Earlier, Ambassador Joe-King, who is also a national peace ambassador and the representative of the FCT Nigerian Children’s Parliament, stated that her ongoing campaign, “Nigerian Children Call for Peace Project” was aimed at propagating peace, unity and sustainable development in Nigeria, as well as the establishment of peace clubs in schools across the country.
he initiative, according to her, intends to mainstream children into peace development and peace building to achieve a zero-violence society.
Miss Joe-King added that the urgent need to integrate terrorism education into the curriculum of primary and secondary schools was her inspiration for writing a book titled, ‘Effects of Terrorism on Children’.
She noted that the book was an opportunity to educate and carry all children along on matters concerning terrorism.
She solicited NAF’s support and encouragement for the campaign to succeed and make remarkable impact on national development.
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