Nigeria, nine years after the abduction of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, 96 girls are still captives.

ROME – Nine years after the abduction of 276 schoolgirls in the middle of the night from their dormitory in Chibok, Nigeria, 96 girls are still captives, and thousands more children have suffered serious violations of their rights. According to local media, on April 7, 2023, 80 children were reportedly abducted by militants in Tsafe local government area, Zamfara state. This reinforces the urgent need for action to protect children in Nigeria. “The data is worrying, but the reality is devastating. It has been 9 years since the terrible abduction of the Chibok girls, and the nightmare continues, with children still being abducted, forcibly recruited, killed and injured – their future being snatched away,” said Cristian Munduate, representative of theUNICEF in Nigeria. “We cannot close our eyes to the suffering of Nigeria’s children. We must do all we can to ensure they grow up in safety, with access to education and opportunities to develop their potential.”

The recruitment of children. Since 2014, over 2,400 serious violations have been verified, involving over 6,800 children in the North East. The most common violations are recruitment or use of children by armed groups with 700 verified cases, followed by child abduction with 693 episodes, killing and maiming with 675 episodes. The impact of the conflict on education is alarming, with repercussions likely to affect entire generations. The Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria (TCN) reports that, between 2009 and 2022, some 2,295 teachers were killed in attacks, more than 19,000 were displaced, more than 1,500 schools were closed due to insecurity and 910 schools have been destroyed.

The funding plan for safe schools. UNICEF Welcomes Nigerian Government Signing of UNICEF-Supported Handover Protocol and Commitment to Invest 144.8 Billion Nigerian Naira ($314.5 Million) for Safe Schools Funding Plan in 2022 and stands ready to support the Government in its implementation to ensure that all children encountered in the course of an armed conflict in Nigeria or released by armed groups are swiftly reunited with their families and benefit from reintegration programmes.