Borno Attack Raises Alarm Over Child Protection as Boko Haram Abducts Women and Children
The recent attack on Ngoshe town in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, where suspected Boko Haram militants killed soldiers and civilians and abducted more than 100 women and children, has once again raised serious concerns about the protection and safeguarding of children in conflict-affected areas of northeast Nigeria.
The assault, which targeted a military base and an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp, underscores the extreme vulnerability of children and families living in communities already displaced by years of insurgency. According to local and security sources, the attackers overpowered troops, ransacked the town, and pursued civilians fleeing the violence, leaving many residents traumatized and forcing others to escape to nearby Pulka.
From a child protection perspective, the abduction of women and children during such attacks represents a grave violation of children’s rights and international humanitarian standards. Children caught in armed conflict face heightened risks of violence, exploitation, forced recruitment, and long-term psychological trauma.
Under Nigeria’s Child Rights Act (2003) and international frameworks such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), children have the right to protection from violence, abuse, and exploitation, particularly in situations of armed conflict. The kidnapping of children during attacks on civilian communities directly violates these protections.
The targeting of a community that hosts displaced families also highlights broader safeguarding challenges. IDP settlements are meant to provide safety for those already forced from their homes by conflict. When such spaces become targets of armed groups, children who have already experienced displacement face repeated cycles of trauma and insecurity.
Beyond the immediate loss of life and destruction, such attacks disrupt education, separate families, and deepen the humanitarian crisis affecting children in the region.
Ensuring the safety of children in conflict zones requires strengthened protection measures, improved security around vulnerable communities, and accountability for violations against civilians. Above all, the rights, safety, and dignity of children must remain central in any response to the ongoing insurgency.
