Lagos arrests 3 pupils for smoking hemp, using codeine

The Lagos State Government on Friday arrested three pupils of Atunrashe High School, Mushin, for smoking and being in possession of Indian hemp and substance known as codeine. The pupils were nabbed by officials of Lagos State Neighbourhood and Safety Corps (LNSC). LNSC officials found the three under-aged boys, whose names were withheld, while smoking Indian hemp and using codeine in the Surulere area of Lagos from where they were then traced to their school. Meanwhile,
officials of the state government had earlier rescued a14-year-old girl, Unwanna Emmanuel, who was physically abused and mutilated by her guardian in Surulere as well. Emmanuel, who spoke to Saturday Telegraph, said she was brought to her guardian in Lagos known as Mama Chidera through a commercial bus driver.
According to her, her guardian would not allow to go school on time and she would be forced to leave school by 2pm whenever she was finally able to make it to school. The girl explained that her parents were too poor to enroll her in school which made her find her way to Lagos without any contact in the state, adding that someone introduced her to her guardian who decided to accommodate her as housemaid but she said that she would not be allowed to go to school until 9am while she would be asked to return by 2pm regardless of the school’s time table and activities.
Reacting to the developments, the state Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Agboola Dabiri, said the state government would not condone illegality, adding that the girl’s guardian had been arrested and would be prosecuted by the state government.

 Dabiri, who vowed that the state government would henceforth deal with parents and guardians who abuse children under their care, said the girl has been taken to the rehabilitation centre. Regarding the boys caught smoking, the commissioner said the plans are at an advanced stage for them to be sent to a correctional home for reformation.

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