UNICEF Demands Immediate Release Of 21 Children Abducted In Buhari’s Home State

The UNICEF called on the government to urgently rescue the abducted children unharmed and reunite them with their parents.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has described the abduction of 21 children at a farm in Mairuwa community, Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State as a reprehensive act.

The UNICEF said children should never be the target of violence, especially by anyone who should be protecting them.

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the organisation’s representative in Nigeria, Ms Cristian Munduate.

According to the statement, UNICEF is concerned about the report of the abduction of no fewer than 21 children at a farm in Mairuwa community, including 17 girls and 4 boys aged between 15 and 18.

The statement added that abduction of children, whether at home, school, farm or anywhere else is reprehensible as they would be subjected to all forms of trauma.

The UNICEF called on the government to urgently rescue the abducted children unharmed and reunite them with their parents.

Recall on November 3rd report that dozens of children were kidnapped by suspected terrorists in Kastina State.

It was gathered that the children were kidnapped on Sunday while working on a farm located between Kamfanin Mailafiya and Kurmin Doka villages in Katsina.

The kidnappers had contacted their families to demand ransom for their release.

A village head from the community said the gunmen demanded a ransom of N30 million ($68,435).

Katsina Gambo Isah, the police spokesman in the state, confirmed the kidnapping but did not provide further details. But Police records showed that at least 22 children were missing.

Katsina is President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state, and it is one of the states in northwestern Nigeria that is being terrorised by non-state actors or terrorists who kill, maim and kidnap for ransom.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, the use of underaged children as farm labourers is common in some states in northern Nigeria, which has the highest number of children out of school in the country.

The military has been bombing suspected hideouts of terrorists in a bid to end the incessant attacks on communities.