We read with shock and utter dismay the despicable sexual assault and cold-blooded murder of seven year old Kwaghdoo Agbami on October 6, 2007 in Makurdi.

We read with shock and utter dismay the despicable sexual assault and cold-blooded murder of seven year old Kwaghdoo Agbami on October 6, 2007 in Makurdi.

The Mutual Union of Tiv in America ( MUTA) condemns this act of criminal cruelty on little Ms. Agbami, and calls on government at all levels to take concrete preventive steps to protect children, women and other vulnerable groups as well as punish the perpetrators of such heinous crimes.

We also call on parents and guardians to show more parental responsibility by demonstrating due concern for the security and wellbeing of their children and wards.  We must emphasize that it is an act of culpable negligence for children the age of eighteen to be left with little or no supervision.

Furthermore, the present practice and unhealthy trend in which parents (and other adult family members) expose children to undue danger by having minors participate in street trading/hawking and other such income-seeking jobs must be quickly addressed as a safeguard against exposure to these kinds of sadistic attacks and economic exploitation.  Children must be provided with an environment that is both conducive and progressive to their development into mature and productive members of the larger community.