The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on Boko Haram sect to stop the recruitment and use of children as suicide bombers in the North-East.
UNICEF also called on all parties in the conflict to respect international child rights laws.
The UNICEF’s Country Representative, Mr Mohamed Fall, made the call after the official signing of Action Plan Agreement against recruitment of children between the organisation and Borno State Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
The Action Plan Agreement was signed by the UNICEF, Borno State Government and CJTF, in Maiduguri.
Fall noted that the increase in the use of children in the conflict in the North-East was a source of concern to the UN and it must stop.
He said that UNICEF was saddled with responsibilities of protecting children against abuse and violations; safeguard and promote their rights to education, health and general wellbeing.
Fall stressed the need for all parties in the conflict to show greater commitments toward the protection of children against any form of violation.
“I will like to call on all the parties in the conflict; mainly the Boko Haram to immediately stop recruiting and using children; the use of children by Boko Haram as a human bomb is particularly disturbing and vulnerable.
“According to our reports within the last three years, 140 children and mostly girls and even babies are being used as human bombs in North-East Nigeria.
“I will like to remind everyone that recruitment and use of children is a war crime and a crime against humanity”.
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