A Perspective Drawn to Nigeria’s Insecurity and its Impact on Innocent Children
Release on Friday, June 5, 2021
Stop the Attacks on Children!
Children, Youth and Women (ChiYoWo) Empowerment Initiative Condemns the
violent attacks targeting Nigerian School Children
Dated Thursday, June 4, 2021
On this International Day (Friday, June 5, 2021) of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression,
Children, Youth and Women (ChiYoWo) Empowerment Initiative joins the International
Community to recognize the pain and suffering experienced by children especially during a
break out of armed conflict, and to raise awareness on the need to stop the attack on innocent
Children. Children are the most affected by the consequences of war, and conflict. The Executive
Director, Tokunbo Ifaturoti, expressed concern about the rising insecurity and violent conflicts
across zones in Nigeria, which has birthed a wave of school kidnapping where school-aged
children are abducted at will by unidentified gunmen. She observed that there has been a series
of attacks on students with the most recent being the kidnapping of 200 Islamiyya students in
Niger State. Also, there was an attack in Zamfara state where gunmen abducted about 279
school girls from a secondary school in Northwestern Zamfara state. Prior to these attacks,
some 47 persons including 27 schoolboys were abducted in a school in Kagara, central Niger
state. In Imo state children stayed away from school because of the rising insecurity in the
state. Currently, some schools have gone on an indefinite break because of the violent killings
by unknown gunmen and bandits in the state. Innocent children in Nigeria are now
experiencing insufferable physical, mental and emotional abuse as a result of insecurity and
violence in Nigeria.
ChiYoWo Empowerment Initiative totally condemns this inhumane act and calls on the
government to adopt strategies to Stop the Attacks on Innocent Children who are the
future leaders. ChiYoWo’s Programme Manager noted that in 1991, Nigeria signed the Convention on the
Rights of the Child (CRC) sets out a basic, universal standard for a healthy, protected,
decent childhood for every human being. In addition, Nigeria in 2003 adopted the Child
Rights Act to domesticate the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In 2016, the ChildRight Act
has codified into law in 24 of Nigeria's 36 states across the federation. However, while Nigeria
is making progress in protecting ChildRights Act, for many children, these rights are far from
a reality.
With rising insecurity and conflicts across the regions of this country, putting millions of
children’s lives and futures at risk now is the time to protect the child rights is more urgently
than ever. ChiYoWo Empowerment Initiative, therefore, call on the government at the federal level
and across states, stakeholders, and civil society organizations to take action towards protecting the Nigerian child from violence and aggression, giving a thoughtful consideration
to the following clear ask:
- Government, business, and communities fulfill their commitment to the children’s rights
by making sure that every child has enjoys their rights - Government to invest more into reaching the most vulnerable children
- Government to take actions to protect children affected by conflict
- Families and communities to commit to protecting children from physical, mental and
emotional abuse - Government to develop national action plans and resolutions on the protection of children in
armed conflict - Civil society organizations can take up sensitizations programs to educate on the principles of the Child Rights Act
About ChiYoWo Empowerment Initiative
ChiYoWo Empowerment Initiative is a nongovernmental organization committed to creating a
better future for children, youth, and women in Nigeria. ChiYoWo Empowerment Initiative works
closely with local communities in four main areas to develop comprehensive initiatives to achieve sustained livelihoods.
Website: chiyowo.org
Email: info@chiyowo.org
Twitter:@chiyowoini
Facebook: @Chiyowoinitiative1
Instagram: @chiyowoini
