CDA Leaders Equipped with Tools to Tackle Security Issues During CDC Annual Interactive Session | ClipTV Online

Introduction

To equip Community Development Association (CDA) leaders and members on tackling security issues, child molestation, domestic violence and other menace, Ikorodu Local Government Community Development Council (CDC) has launched an interactive program. The 2024 annual interactive session is themed: Curbing Domestic Violence, Ensuring Justice for All and Educating Practitioners on the Right to Will in Our Communities.

The CDC interactive programme is an annual event to educate CDA leaders on plan of action to be implemented. The 2024 session takes a new shape as the attendance surpass previous years with over 50%.

CDA Security Training

In his lecture the chairman, community policing forum (CPF) Pastor Taiwo A. Kayode, addressing the issue of kidnapping during the CDC interactive session warned CDA leaders and members to avoid early morning and late-night movement. As CDA members want to rush to work around 4 and 5 am, they should ensure a full dawn before setting out. He cited  “from past incidents, these are times when people are usually kidnapped.” Noting a woman that was kidnapped in Ibeshe, the kidnappers told her each bank account she operates and the amount on each account. Though people may say “even the bankers are culpable, however people should be aware of what they say and who they relate with,” he cautioned.

That is an indication that the kidnappers have adequate information about the woman. So, “each person should be vigilant and not trust anyone even your spouse can be compromised,” the chairman warned. 

He further advise that people should be aware of who they seat with, talk with because the kidnappers have their informants everywhere. 

He cited other kidnapping examples from western CDA (Mowokekere), Emuren, and Ogolonto.

Prevention

HOW TO PREVENT?

Speaking on preventing kidnapping, the CPF Chairman relate his encounter with the Lagos state Commissioner of Police. Noting that the first lesson he learned was not to trust anyone. “Initially, I felt at this age, why won’t I be able to trust anyone,” he said “but at the end I heard to unlearn and relearn to learn.”

Kayode at that pointed admitted not to know anything related to security, stating, “where your knowledge end is where someone else own starts.”

Secondly, he warned not to discuss financial transactions on the phone. Emphasizing, this could lead to security issues that may warrant kidnapping.

Children should be properly trained and nurture rather than pampering. “These are other ways our values are eroded as a nation,” he added.

Thirdly, the CPF Chairman warns the audience to avoid buying exotic cars, mentioning that it is another yardstick for victim.  “Your next-door neighbor may also be an informant,” the chair affirmed.

He further warned that all the CDA leaders should warn their members to avoid spending flamboyantly at parties.

Pastor Kayode encouraged the CDA leaders to engage with competent vigilante groups. Stating that he might not mention specific group but there are some that are conversant with security job than others.

Finally, he invited the CDA leaders to ensure its members pay security levies, this includes shops and businesses within the Community.

CDA on DSVA

Other speakers include Odumbo Adetoun, Community Engagement Officer, Lagos State Domestic & Sexual Vigilance Agency who enlighten the CDA leaders on Domestic Violence.  Noting that domestic violence often occurs within the communities, but members usually look away.  She insisted that all community members should feel concerned.

Odumbo then explained another violence that CDA leaders should take not of ‘Rape’, “when the opposite gender did not consent.” “However, if the individual involved is below eighteen (18) years old, it is classified as defilement,” she said.

She stated that forceful sex for adult is rape while under eighteen (18) is defilement. Odumbo added that anyone can be raped, either male or female, old or young. She cited series of example like a month old baby, seventy-five (75) years old being raped. She stated, “the Agency fight for both male and female, the challenge is with the ability of men speaking up.

Thirdly is Child Abuse, which is “maltreating a child,” Odumbo noted that child abuse is mostly with guardians of wards. She underscore cases of guardians disciplining wards with hot pressing iron or apply pepper on the private part.

Odumbo clarifies that the agency is not against disciplining children but against bringing harm to the children. She mentioned other forms of abuse that should be noted. Physical and verbal abuse, physical is beating or hitting someone to cause harm. It could be beating, slapping, strangling, pinning down. “One easy way to know there is physical abuse is when you notice marks on the body of an individual.” “As wives can be abused, husband can be abused too,” she added.

On the other hand, verbal abuse is “saying things that could cause harm to someone else.”

She included that there is emotional abuse which is another form of violence, noting that it is not seen but kill faster than physical abuse. This could be things we say to our children or spouses that harm them emotionally.

Another notable violence is financial abuse. “We financially abuse our children when we fail to pay their tuition fees to harm them and so on,” Odumbo said.

Other Abuses

Other forms of violence includes religion abuse, cultural abuse. She stated that the perpetrators are very few but because they commit and go scot-free, the crime keep increasing.

Also mentioned that after recognizing all these forms of abuse or domestic violence there should be strength to speak out. “That is the major reason for discussing these. CDA leaders should encourage their members to speak up when a domestic violence is noticed. When one case is reported, it will serve as example to others.”

“However, it has been noticed that people fail to report, some times due to threat by the perpetrators, it is involve family members, or because they are not directly involved. CDA leaders are here by encouraged to inform the members to report any case of domestic violence as explained. CDAs should also note that one of our core values is confidentiality,” she concluded.

CDC Chairman

In an interview with our correspondent, Ikorodu Local Government CDC Chairman, Elder Yekini Ogunjimi highlight the reasons for choosing the topics. “Issues of kidnapping, child abuse, human rights infringement and others are being discussed because of recent happenings around Ikorodu,” he said. “We invite the CDA leaders because of the rate at which this menace are happening, especially in Ikorodu.”

Ogunjimi stated that outcry of CDA members on these crimes are alarming, hence the reason for the awareness. “The major reasons for the discussion are to expose our CDA leaders to these challenges and introduce the way out,” he concluded.

Public Defendant

ClipTV Online report that the CDC, CDA discussion also accommodate the office of the public defendant. Lagos State Public Defendant, Ikorodu Head Unit, Barr. Modupe Salako enlighten the CDA leaders on helping their members know their rights. She mentioned that public defendant office is for the indigents and the vulnerable.

Modupe further underscored that public defendant offices are across the state and CDA members are welcome. The office ensures indigents gets the deserved justice.  To this extent she mentioned “Pro bono lawyers are available to defend the rights of the vulnerable.”

Though, “The office is to defend the defenseless, it is the voice of the voiceless, and the indigents in Lagos State,” she said. “Regardless of the tribe or the state of the origin, we are all one in Lagos State.”

She also mentioned that one of her roles is to caution the CDC and CDA to warn their wards to avoid crimes. “Ignorant of the is law is not an excuse,” she concluded.

CDA Participants

One of the participants who spoke with ClipTV Online, Tiletile Kazeem Idowu from Anibaba CDA, appreciates the CDC leaders for such discussion. He stated that since he has been attending the interactive session, it has always been educating. “This year, one of the things I learned is how to avoid the Cholera outbreak.” he said.

Tiletile also note that other things he grab is to avoid domestic violence, teach my children about sexual  molestation. “With all these, we can educate and admonish our CDA members to avoid crimes.” Finally, he thanked the CDC for their contribution in nation building and hopeful that Nigeria will be great again.

Mr. Lasisi Adeniyi, Chairman Agura-Gberigbe forum mentioned that this annual Ikorodu CDC, CDA interactive is programme is based on government policies that directly affect the CDA and the communities at large.

The programme is also involves how to address such issues and the resources available.

Alhaji Sonibare Lukman, Chairman emeritus and current Ikorodu CDC, CDAC general secretary stated the event is successful. He noted that “there are over three (300) participants and reactions through questions the messages are well received.”

“The topics were carefully selected to build better CDA or community in Ikorodu.”