UNICEF welcomes release of 183 Nigerian children cleared of links to Boko Haram
The United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF, has welcomed the release of 183 children from Nigerian Armed Forces after they were cleared of any connection to extremist jihadist group Boko Haram.
The girls – aged between 7 and 18 – were in detention in Maiduguri, Borno State, as they were being screened over links to the militant group.
“These 8 girls and 175 boys are first and foremost victims of the on-going conflict and their release is an important step on their long road to recovery,” UNICEF Representative in Nigeria Mohamed Fall said.
“We will be working with the Borno State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and partners to provide the children with all the assistance they need. I also want to commend the action taken by the military and the authorities, it demonstrates a clear commitment to better protect children affected by the conflict.”
Having been held in administrative custody, UNICEF says the children will receive medical attention and psychosocial support before the process of reuniting them with their families and reintegrating them into society begins.
The fight against Boko Haram is still on in West Africa, as the region’s governments seek to rid it of the threat of the grouping.
Boko Haram has waged a war in the region for over a decade, seeking to overthrow governments and instil extreme jihadist systems of rule. The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, causing a humanitarian crisis.
The West African states have however created a joint force which, upon deployment, they hope will fast-track the elimination of the militant group.
UNICEF welcomes today the release of 183 children from Nigerian Armed Forces, in Maiduguri, Borno State, northeast Nigeria. The release comes after the children, aged 7-18, were cleared of ties with Boko Haram insurgents. | @UNICEFNigeria https://t.co/jS5EneOxyF
— UNICEF Media (@UNICEFmedia) July 9, 2018
