Counter-Terrorism and Children’s Rights in Nigeria

Abstract

Protection against violence, abuse, and neglect are few of the cardinal rights of children. Many countries including Nigeria are signatories to the United Nations (UN) Children’s Rights (UNCRC) declaration but these declarations are hardly legally institutionalized by the signatory states. The activities of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) have had detrimental effects on Nigerian children’s rights, human rights, and fundamental freedoms. Consequently, as at 2018, more than 3 million children had been declared as “out of school children.” Media reports revealed that hundreds of thousands of children are malnourished; molested; abused; forced into marriages; denied proper formal education; displaced from their homes and radicalized into terrorism or even murdered. Data collected were content analyzed. Observing the fundamental human rights of every citizen has been proven to be a veritable index of development and good democratic governance. For Nigeria to achieve sustainable-peace and security, every child needs to enjoy the UN children’s rights declaration to the fullest,, irrespective of their tribe, culture, language and religion.