Otamere Gladness 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria ranks among the five countries with the highest cases of child recruitment into armed groups, as the United Nations warns of a worsening global crisis affecting children in conflict zones.
The UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Vanessa Frazier, tells UN News that more than 7,400 children are recruited or used by armed forces worldwide in 2024 alone.
“Each number represents a child whose innocence has been interrupted,” she says.
According to the UN on Thursday, the worst-affected countries include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria and Myanmar.
In Nigeria, insurgency in the northeast leaves thousands of children abducted, forcibly recruited or traumatised by violence over the past decade.
The UN says more than 220,000 children have been separated from armed groups globally through its intervention, with reintegration led by UNICEF and partner organisations.
Frazier warns that reintegration remains difficult, particularly for girls returning with children, and stresses accountability as a key deterrent.
“Children should never be treated as collateral of war,” she says. “Protecting them is the foundation of sustainable peace.”
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 