Two armed groups in northern Nigeria recruited more than 1,120 children as fighters and sex slaves in the North-East in 2024, the United Nations Children’s Fund said Wednesday.
Tarek Akkad, UNICEF’s Child Protection Manager, disclosed the figure during the 2026 Red Alert Day observance, the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers, in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The report said 525 boys and 595 girls were recruited across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states.
Akkad described the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict as a grave violation of international law and one of the most persistent abuses against children, citing the UN Secretary-General’s report on children and armed conflict.
He called for the adoption of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict and urged governments, civil society groups, and international bodies to strengthen prevention and accountability measures.
“Children associated with armed groups should be treated primarily as victims and transferred safely to civilian child protection authorities,” Akkad said. He added that support from the government, UNICEF, and development partners has helped affected children recover and rebuild their lives.
