When a Society Turns Against Its Own

Reports from Cross River State this week have brought to light a deeply troubling incident involving young boys who were tied up like animals and brutally treated under the label of “Skolombo boys.” These are not merely disturbing images; they are a stark reminder that we have failed the children of our nation.

These young people, often labelled “Skolombo boys” and “Lakasara girls,” are not criminals by birth; they are victims of a system that has neglected them. Children who ought to be in classrooms, learning and building their future, are instead on the streets, struggling to survive.

Today, Nigeria has over 20 million out-of-school children, the highest number in the world, which constitutes a national emergency.

A society that ties up and beats its children with machetes is one that has lost its moral direction. We cannot claim to be building a future while destroying the very foundation of that future - our children.

Even more troubling is the contradiction we now live with. In a country where we speak of rehabilitation and reintegration for “repentant” terrorists, how do we justify brutality against vulnerable children whose only “crime” is poverty and abandonment?

We must move from punishment to compassion, from neglect to responsibility. These children must be taken off the streets and given access to education, shelter, and structured rehabilitation. Governments at all levels should seek ways to protect and integrate them into society, rather than criminalise them.

This is not just about Cross River; it is about the kind of Nigeria we are choosing to build. We must do better. Our nation must protect the weak and the future of its people.

A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO