The inspector-general of police, IGP Olatunji Disu has called for stronger child protection policies, strict enforcement of laws against child marriage and improved access to education and healthcare for vulnerable girls, warning against the use of poverty, social pressure and cultural practices to deny children their fundamental rights.
Disu, who spoke through a message delivered at an event commemorating the girl child in Abuja on Monday October 12, 2026 said society must not allow cultural practices to become excuses for denying girls the opportunity to learn, grow and realise their potential.
Represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of the Department of Logistics and Supply at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, DIG Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, the IGP stressed that cultural reform should not be interpreted as a rejection of heritage but as a commitment to preserving positive traditions while eliminating practices that limit children’s rights and future prospects.
According to him, culture should give girls a sense of identity and belonging rather than impose restrictions on their aspirations.
The IGP maintained that educating girls goes beyond preparing them for employment, noting that education equips them to make informed decisions, raise healthier families, lead institutions, challenge injustice and contribute meaningfully to national development.
He warned that when a girl is denied education, society loses not only her immediate contributions but also the future possibilities she could bring as a professional, innovator, community leader or agent of change.
“Educating a girl is not simply preparing her for a job. It is preparing her to make informed decisions, raise healthier families, lead institutions, challenge injustice and transform society,” he said.
Disu urged parents to listen to their daughters, protect their dignity and create homes where their opinions and concerns are respected.
He also called on families to raise boys who respect girls and encourage girls to understand and support one another, stressing that a girl’s worth should not be determined by how early she marries but by her humanity, character and potential.
The Police Chief said government institutions, community leaders, traditional rulers, religious organisations, schools and families must work together to ensure that vulnerable girls have access to education, healthcare and appropriate support.
He emphasised the need to strengthen existing child protection measures and enforce laws against child marriage, noting that safeguarding the girl child requires collective responsibility rather than the efforts of any single institution.
The IGP’s message formed part of broader calls at the event for coordinated action to protect girls from child marriage, abuse, exploitation, discrimination and other practices that threaten their development.
Earlier, the National President of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Mrs Mutiat Olufunmilola Disu, highlighted the consequences of child marriage, drawing attention to the loss of childhood, interrupted education and the denial of opportunities that girls face when they are pushed into marriage before adulthood.
The POWA president maintained that marriage should be reserved for adults and called for greater commitment to protecting childhood, defending girls’ dignity and investing in their rights.
“Marriage is for adults, not children. Let children be children. Let girls learn, dream and grow,” she said.
Also speaking, the national coordinator of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), SP Onwe Ikwen said protecting the girl child was a shared responsibility involving parents, schools, government agencies, civil society organisations and corporate partners.
Ikwen said the gathering was an opportunity to renew commitments to ending child marriage and ensuring that every girl could learn, grow, lead and fulfil her potential.
She noted that although child marriage, abuse, exploitation, discrimination, poverty and barriers to education continued to threaten the prospects of many girls, concerted action could help address the challenges.
According to him, educating a girl empowers her family, protecting her and strengthening her community, while encouraging her ambitions to contribute to building a safer and more prosperous nation.
She said POCACOV remained committed to preventive policing, community engagement, awareness campaigns and mentorship programmes aimed at promoting safer communities and encouraging positive choices among young people.
Ikwen urged girls to believe in their abilities, learn, read widely, ask questions, surround themselves with positive influences and understand their rights.