The United Nations Children’s Fund has urged President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime to end child recruitment into armed groups.

UNICEF told the regime to endorse the Paris commitments to protect children from unlawful recruitment or use by armed forces or armed groups.

The UNICEF representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, made the appeal in a statement on Monday, on the occasion of the Red Hand Day.

The Red Hand Day is a reminder of the ongoing challenge to end the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts.

“We applaud the efforts of the government of Nigeria for the signing of the Handover Protocol for children encountered in the course of armed conflict in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin Region,” said the UNICEF statement.

It added, “This moment is also another opportunity for the Federal Government of Nigeria to endorse The Paris commitments to protect children from unlawful recruitment or use by armed forces or armed groups and the Paris principles and guidelines on children associated with armed forces or armed groups.”

According to the statement, the Red Hand Day, marked annually on Februaey 12, is dedicated to raising awareness and strengthening efforts to end the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts worldwide.

It added that dedpite the international community’s efforts to eradicate this issue, children continue to be exploited by armed actors, with many remaining unidentified and unreported, particularly girls.

“In Nigeria, there have been numerous reports of children being recruited and used by armed groups, with devastating consequences on their physical and psychological well-being. The Nigerian government, in collaboration with the international community, has made considerable progress in improving legal and policy frameworks to protect children associated with armed actors,” it noted.

“In addition, UNICEF in partnership with other relevant stakeholders will continue to support the efforts of the government to invest in the prevention of child recruitment and use, facilitate and scale-up the reintegration of children, especially girls and including women that exit armed groups in the north-east,” added the statement.

The Paris Principles and Commitments were adopted in 2007 at the ‘Free Children from War’ conference organised by the French government and UNICEF, including a set of political commitments to put in place measures to prevent recruitment and use of children and to support the release, reintegration and recovery of all children who have been recruited and used by armed forces or armed groups.

(NAN)