By joshua A Leader, a Father: CPI Commends CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi for Swift Action in Child Rights Case
The Challenged Parenthood Initiative, CPI, has commended the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, for what it described as “exceptional leadership and professional integrity” in resolving a sensitive child rights violation case.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Eunice Abimbola Agbogun, CPI said its first official engagement with the Commissioner was during the recent National Police Day celebrations. The group attended a high-impact sensitization lecture organized by the Command for the public on electoral violence, safe driving, and strict compliance with traffic regulations. Agbogun said the session showcased CP Kankarofi’s “deep commitment to public safety and community-oriented policing.”
That encounter, she noted, built a bridge of trust that prompted CPI to bring a case of child rights violation to the Commissioner’s attention. The case involved the forceful separation of a three-year-old toddler from his mother by the child’s father, a serving member of the Nigeria Police Force. Despite earlier mediation by the Ministry of Women Affairs, the officer had refused to comply with directives to return the child.
Upon receiving the report, CP Kankarofi’s intervention was “swift, transparent, and decisive,” Agbogun said. “He did not allow professional bias to interfere with justice.” During mediation at the Command Headquarters, the Commissioner balanced the weight of his office with profound empathy.
“CPI noted with deep appreciation that the Commissioner spoke and acted not just as a high-ranking officer, but indeed, as a father,” the statement read. “His fatherly advice and strict instructions for the officer to comply with the law were the turning points that led to the child being reunited with his mother.”
CPI said the resolution reinforces its belief that under CP Kankarofi, the Kogi State Police Force is “a partner in the protection of the vulnerable.” The group applauded the Commissioner for proving that “justice and compassion can go hand-in-hand.”
CPI pledged continued collaboration with the Command and urged the public to report cases of Gender-Based Violence and child violation, while trusting and supporting the Nigeria Police Force.