Insecurity: Do children have future in Nigeria?

Over the weekend, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) raised the alarm that schools are gradually becoming centres of killings, kidnappings, homosexuality, cultism and drug-related cases, adding that this latest trend, if not tackled, would endanger the future of Nigerian children.

ACF particularly raised the issues of the kidnap and murder of a five-year-old Hanifa Abubakar by her teacher Abdulmalik Muhammed at a private school in Kwanar Dakatar in Kano State as well as 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni’s alleged bully and torture by fellow students because he refused to join them in their cult activities which consequently led to his death. The group had stated that this new threat to children will not only destroy their future but the country, calling on governments to step in forcefully and nip the trend in the bud.

Indeed, children now seem to be targets of insurgency, banditry, killings, ritual killings and kidnappings that are ravaging the country and this is making it difficult to keep children in schools across the country while parents live in fear of fate that can befall their children. The United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), in one of its survey results, claimed that Nigeria has the highest number of out of school children in the world, putting the figure at 13.2 million and out of this, 11 million are in the North where insurgency is at its peak.

This is a clear indication that Nigeria has a serious problem on its hands. Yet, the slogan, children are the leaders of tomorrow continues to trend on the lips of policy makers and government officials despite the myriad cases of tragedy befalling school children and cutting them short in their early years.

“How can our leaders continue saying children are the future when they know that the likelihood of many children getting education or living to adulthood is becoming slimmer by the day? That statement has become a cliché and there seems to be little hope for children in Nigeria,” Arionola Cole, a child rights advocate asked.

Over the years, every Children Day and Day of the African Child, Nigerian leaders give rousing speeches reiterating their commitment to the welfare of children. In the last seven years, President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to reaffirm the belief that it is the right of every Nigerian child to have access to quality and affordable education, as well as healthcare and other basic necessities for a good life, in a peaceful and secure environment because the good health and well-being of Nigerian children are a top priority on his agenda for national development.

Last year, President Buhari gave the assurance that the safety of every child was unassaillably crucial to his administration, to protect them from violence and abuse, describing children as precious blessings who should be nurtured for the future.

Annually, every state governor gives promises on the security and welfare of children but these have in no way affected the lives of children positively or protected them from evil. Even laws made to protect children have in no way been effective to assure them of a better future. And in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and The African Union Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (CRCW), advocates continue to rate Nigeria low, they are of the opinion that Nigeria lags behind in passable protection laws for children.

Reinforcing their assertion, currently, about 11 states are yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act while states that have domesticated it are not using it effectively as there seems to be a challenge in implementation because many have not come to the realisation that proactive laws are made to pivot children to fulfill potential. Consequently, it has made many to ask whether the government believes that a dead child can still grow to lead the country and children forced out of school can attain their potential.

“While we are happy that more states have domesticated the Child Rights Law, there are many issues in the implementation. We live in a society where the belief is that you have a right to do whatever you like to your child and abuse is seen as training. Even when there is excessive maltreatment and people agree to this fact, they still believe it is a family matter that should be resolved within the confines of the home. So we have rules that are not being applied because few people believe in using it; that is a limitation” Dr Mubo Oluyide, a gynecologist that treats victims of sexual abuse stated.

There is a consensus among child advocates that there is still a long way to go in making people believe in proactive laws that can shape the society, protect children and enforce their rights to enable them to fulfill potential. They are of the opinion that if children are indeed the future, more efforts are needed to ensure the survival, growth and development of the child in order to protect the nation’s future. And if well implemented, the ‘Child Rights Act 2003 is a tool that can make life better for children as it guarantees the rights of all children in Nigeria.

Despite the acclaimed usefulness of the law, not all states in Nigeria have passed or assented to it and Nigeria still has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world, a situation further aggravated by the persistent attacks on schools by bandits and kidnapping of schoolchildren.

Speaking on the issue, the Country Representative of UNICEF in Nigeria, Mr Peter Hawkins, stated that though 25 states had domesticated the Child Rights Act and 11 states had yet to do so, there is a need for more commitment to fulfilling the obligations in the act to ensure its application was of top priority.

“We would much prefer that all states would have domesticated it by now but what we don’t want is a state domesticating the Child Rights Act, 2003, and not have the mechanisms in place or the commitment to fulfill the obligations in it because children’s rights are all about obligations; obligations of local governments, structures to ensure they protect the child’s rights at every stage. It is also about trying to give an environment for children to be able to express some of their concerns and where we can provide a solution to the problems,” he said.

Speaking on the law, the Country Vice President and National President, International Federation of Women Lawyers, Nigeria, Rhoda Tyoden, stated that the Child Rights Act is a comprehensive law that protects the child including the girl child, adding that one of the basic reasons this law has yet to be adopted in some of the states mostly in the North is religion and culture.

This is a new year and as usual, there will be various days celebrating the child; International Day of the African Child, Children’s Day and Day of the Girl Child among others, but people are wondering how Nigeria as a nation will celebrate children in the face of the enormous threat to the lives of children in the country.

According to Mosun Yusuf, a teacher, it is lack of commitment and concern to the welfare of children that will make government at all levels celebrate children this year, adding that  the increasing rate of insecurity, kidnappings and all forms of abuse because children are now  targets.

She stated that children are now more endangered with the increasing rate of insecurity even in their homes, adding that “there is absolutely no reason for stakeholders to pay lip service to children’s welfare but take concise steps on what needs to be done to ensure the African child has access to quality public education in a safe atmosphere devoid of threat.

Belinda Amos, a social worker believes that government should stop making euphoric statements that have no practicability and have consideration for the families and children who are victims of insecurity. It is unfair and inconsiderate to continue giving platitudes; it is time to address the vulnerabilities and threat faced daily by the Nigerian child.

“The government should be reminded of its responsibility to protect and provide security for children, continuing to act like nothing is wrong is a big injustice to children, their parents and even the society. Actions should be taken, not just conversations and deliberations,” he stated.

And as conversations continue to revolve around the future of the Nigerian child, advocates continue to call for action that goes beyond rhetoric.