LAGOS Chief Judge, Justice Kareem Alogba on Tuesday blamed parents and guardians for the fate of children in conflict with the law as he released 42 juveniles from BORSAL Correctional Training Institute, Adigbe, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Their release, which held at Samuel Ilori Court House, Ogba, Lagos followed the recommendation of Correctional Centres Decongestion Committee chaired by Justice Adenike Coker.
They all narrated to the Chief Judge the harrowing circumstances that brought them to the custody of the Correctional Training institute.
Justice Alogba remarked that the juveniles are not to be blamed for their defiance against the law but their parents.
He said “if parents had stood by their children and brought them up well, instead of socializing, most of these children will not have any brush with the law.
“It is sad that we sacrifice them on the altar of economic gains. Their case is still redeemable.
“Parents and guardians must reawaken themselves to their duties because if we fail, it means we are ungrateful to God who gave them to us.
“If we ourselves are upright, they will see in us the moral latitude needed to lead a good life.
“If must rest at our old age, we have to wake up and bring up the children in the way of the Lord,” he stressed.
Alogba urged Police officers to have fear of God in the conduct of their investigations saying that the number of children arrested unnecessarily is not a measure of success.
He charged magistrates to henceforth look beyond charges brought before them and to discharge the children where such allegations are not properly investigated.
Earlier, the Assistant Superintendent of Controller (ASP 1) Raji Yusuf, who represented the Controller of the Institute noted it was the first time inmates of the Institute were to be granted freedom assured the Chief Judge that the inmates have become remorse and changed for the better.
He however pleaded for support of the government to improve vocational training in the institute.
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