Kogi Lawmaker Joins Cross River RTIFN Inauguration, Advocates 'Say No to Children Kidnapping' Campaign »

Hon. David Idris Zacharias, the member representing Idah Federal Constituency and Kogi State Coordinator of the Relax Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria (RTIFN) movement, made a strong dual statement today as he attended the inauguration of the Cross River State chapter of RTIFN while also using the platform to champion his advocacy against child kidnapping.

Speaking before a crowd of supporters and youth leaders in Calabar today, Hon. Zacharias praised the Cross River chapter for aligning with the national vision of the RTIFN movement, which calls on Nigerians to remain patient with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ongoing governance and economic reforms.

President Tinubu is fixing Nigeria. The pains we feel today are birth pains of a new and better nation. I am here in Cross River to say that we stand together in this belief, Hon. Zacharias said.

However, the lawmaker did not limit his message to politics. In a passionate address, he also launched a strong appeal under their advocacy theme: Say No to Children Kidnapping.

He condemned the rising cases of abductions targeting children across the country, describing the trend as a direct attack on the nation’s future. He called on parents, community leaders, and security agencies to work together to protect vulnerable children and bring perpetrators to justice.

We cannot fix Nigeria if our children are not safe. Every child stolen is a future destroyed. I am using every platform we have, including this inauguration, to declare that kidnapping our children must be met with zero tolerance. Say no to children kidnapping, he declared.

The event, which saw the swearing-in of the Cross River State executive committee of RTIFN, also featured a solidarity walk and a town hall session where security concerns, including child abduction, were discussed.

Hon. Zacharias later presented a goodwill message from the Kogi State chapter and pledged continued collaboration between Kogi and Cross River in both political mobilization and community safety advocacy.

The Say No to Children Kidnapping campaign has become a signature cause for the Idah Federal Constituency lawmaker, who has promised to introduce related legislative proposals aimed at strengthening penalties for child abduction and improving child protection mechanisms.