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Dr. Solomon Arase
By Anthony Maliki, Abuja
The Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. Solomon Arase is expected to chair the public launch and public presentation of a book, “We Are Priceless: Checkmating children’s sex slavery.”
The book, written by a journalist, Juliana Francis dwells on the fight against trafficking, child labour and abuse, is to be launched on August 31, 2023 at the POWA Hall, Oduduwa, off Sobo Arobiodu, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.
According to a statement by the Chairman of the book launch Committee, Abiodun Bello, the Special Guest of Honour is Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Frank Mba with Dr. Godwin Morka, former director, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) as Special Keynote Speaker.
Other speakers expected at the occasion are Ms Olufunke Fayemi of the Report Women Network and chief producer, Voice of Nigeria and Mrs. Evelyn Usman, the vice-president, Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) and President of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPSS), Otunba Yomi Odubela. A former Presidential media aide, Mr. Femi Adesina will be the Special Guest/Book Reviewer.
Other Special Guests of Honour expected are the CEO, Raimi Salau Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Raimi Salau, the Director-General (DG), NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, and the Chair/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
According to the author, the book reminds of how vulnerable children continue to be sacrificed on the altar of unbridled wealth accumulation via the selfish quest of adults who should protect them.
She said for too long, parents have been fooled into giving their children to human traffickers and merchants of child labour.
“In Nigeria, children as young as eight years old, 10, and 13 are trafficked into sex slavery, child labour, and other crimes and many are killed in the process, Juliana lamented.
A graduate of Literature-In-English from University of Ilorin, Juliana started her journalism career in 2002 with The Sun newspaper and was at different times Crime Editor, Nigerian Compass, Newswatch newspaper and the New Telegraph.
Juliana has passion for unearthing crimes against humanity, especially the girl-child and has won several awards and received multiple nominations across the globe.
She is the first female overall winner of the coveted Wole Soyinka Prize for Investigative Reporting in Nigeria.Juliana is media consultant and CEO of Youthlens Initiative Development and the publisher of Youthlens.com.
She is an alumnus of the ReportWomen Female Reporters Leadership Programme (FRLP), 2017 set and also a trainer and mentor to budding journalists.
