Prof. Hauwa Ibrahim, international rights lawyer and President of the Peace Institute, has called for urgent measures by the Federal Government, as well as parents to ensure that children are protected in the cyberspace.

Ibrahim made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of a summit on cyber safety organised by the Women Community in Africa (WCA) on Thursday in Abuja.

The summit with the theme,” Cyber Safety: Empowering Families in the Digital Age”, seeks a common front for policymakers, parents, caregivers, educators and other stakeholders in ensuring safer internet space for the Nigerian child.

According to Ibrahim, who was the keynote speaker at the summit, as Nigeria navigates the vast expanse of cyberspace in the digital age, safety and well-being of Nigerian children should be given utmost priority by government , policymakers and parents.

She called on the federal government for the implementation of regulations on all social media handles due to a surge in online vices and abuses.

“The government is made by the people for the people and for the benefit of our society, and so, the first thing I will suggest is effective regulation by government..

“Nobody comes and establishes an internet service company in this country without the permission of the government, so, they must know what is the content of what they are giving out.

“I want you to also know that the people who created this technology do not allow their children to use it, why should we pick it from the streets and allow our children to use it.

“I want to also encourage parents not to give phones to their children before the age of 15.

“We want to have a nation worth our labour based on our national anthem, we have to leave a country safe for the generation yet unborn.

“Some of the internet companies we have in these countries are too big, we must break them and we must have national interests ahead of any other interests,” she said.

Earlier in her opening speech, Dr Adetoun Dally, Global President of WCA, said the summit was part of the group’s campaign against abuses and violence against children on the internet.

According to her, the WCA is focused on addressing social issues and vices in local communities, has commenced advocacy for the safety and well-being of children on the internet.

She said WCA is an advocacy arm of Beyond Mentors Community Care Initiative (BMCCI), a gender-focused NGO devoted to social, economic and educational development and mentoring in communities.

“Today, we have all kinds of platforms and we want to emphasise the need that the whole family must know how to stay safe in this digital age.

“Digital age is our reality and we cannot shy away from it, we are all engrossed. We are all involved.

“There is nobody on the fence because once you have your handsets, once you connect on social media to pass a message or get entertained, you are part of this digital world.

“It is unarguable that the family is a very important part of the society, is the nucleus of the society, and that is what has called for this family meeting,” she said

Also, Mr Ademola Kasumu, Chairman Board of Trustee of BMCCI, said the summit was an effort to urge stakeholders to wake up to the negative realities confronting children in the cyberspace.

“The internet, once hailed as a revolutionary tool to streamline human endeavours, drive sufficiency ,and foster growth, has also unleashed a myriad of challenges and perils.

The theme of this summit, ” Cyber Safety: Empowering Families in the Digital Age”, is a call to action for all of us.

“We must recognise that the digital world is a double-edged sword that offers immense opportunities for education, connection and growth, but also poses significant risks to our privacy, security and well-being.

“As leaders, policymakers, parents and caregivers, we have a moral obligation to empower our families with the knowledge, skills and tools they need to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly,” he said.

The event featured interactive family sections and special presentations by secondary school students, and as some of them who spoke with NAN on the sideline expressed delight for participating.

By Joshua Olomu, NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA