How Private Security Company Employed Minors As Night Guards For Lagos Church

MICHAEL AKINOLA

The arrest of two 16-year old boys employed as night guards by the David Christian Centre Church, Amuwo Odofin branch, founded by Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo, has revealed how minors are being recruited by private security companies for cheap labour in Lagos State.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the Church had engaged the services of a private security company, known as De Falcon International Limited, for night guards. 
Hence the security company in order to save cost, engaged and deployed two under aged boys, namely Solomon Chris,16 and Dala Yusuf,16 as the church guards despite still being minors and the Church accepted them.

However, in September 2021, robbers were said to have invaded the church at night, burgled, carted away some church equipment and escaped. Some of the items stolen included power generating set, amplifier and others worth N838,000 belonging to the church. 

In the morning, when management of the church, led by one Anja Didymus, came to the church and discovered what happened, they handed the two boys, Chris and Yusuf, to the Police at FESTAC Town Division as the robbers behind the robbery, which took place at the church because they failed to prevent the robbers as guards.

It was gathered the Police also discovered that the suspects were minors from their looks and were in dilemma over what to do because the boys are still minors.

The management of the De Falcon provided an affidavit, which stated that the boys swore that they were up to 21 years and gave to the Police.

The Police then charged them before the Ajegunle Magistrates Court for conspiracy and stealing.

The whole thing took a twist when the Presiding Magistrate, O.A. Oluwafemi, suspected their age and asked to know their real age. They then replied that they were 16 and it was affirmed by their parents, who were in Court.

The revelation stalled the proceeding of arraignment and the Court directed the matter to be transferred to be the Family Court for further investigation and possible arraignment over the alleged offence committed.

When P.M.EXPRESS correspondent visited the Church, the security supervisor, who declined to disclosed his name, stated that what was important was the alleged offence committed by the defendants and not their age. He expressed his disappointment on the parents of the defendants to have gone to the church to disclose their age instead of looking for solution on how to get them out from custody pending their arraignment at the Family Court.

He said before they engaged them, they were asked to swear an affidavit stating they were 21 years before they were employed as their staff and were asked to bring two guarantors before they were employed.

At the FESTAC Town Police Division, the police source said it was the name given by the defendants and complainants they used at the Court whether right or wrong before they charged the matter before the Court.

It was gathered that private security companies employ under aged boys because of payment as low as N20,000 and N25,000 every month so as to save the cost of payments of workers.