Gombe: 106 male parents abandon families, children in 2023 — NHRC

No fewer than 106 male parents were found to have abandoned their families and children due to one issue of life or the other in Gombe in the year 2023.

The disclosure was made by the Gombe State Office of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) while briefing Journalists on the activities of the Commission for the year 2023.

Spokesman of the Commission in Gombe State, Ali Alola-Alfinti, said that the record was for the year 2023 lamenting that the rate at which male parents are abandoning their families especially the children is becoming alarming and a menace to the society.

According to him, out of 280 various complaints the Commission received, careful and thorough investigation revealed that a total of 106 male parents actually abandoned their families for one reason or the other.

He said that, “this is happening as soon as a man gives birth to children he cannot adequately take care of as a parent, he will just abscond from home. This development has tendency of mental health, whereby you will see someone as a normal child but having mental health issues.”

He added that, “The major cause of this situation is the bad economic situation which many family people are grappling with. The situation is really tensed at present.”

Ali Alola however advised people that parents should try as much as possible not to subject their children to human rights abuses stressing that it is the responsibility of every father to take care of his family, especially the children having been the reason they came to the world.

He added that abandoned children by the parents are the ones that are becoming menace to the society as they are found to be indulging in various vices and criminalities calling on stakeholders to rise up to stop the practice.

Furthermore, Ali Alola said that NHRC will take necessary steps to collaborate with stakeholders in a move to ensure that parents discharge their God given responsibilities to their children.