UNICEF wants the Nigerian government to bring criminal charges against bandits for their crimes of rape and murder against women and children.
UNICEF Country Representative, Cristian Munduate Cristian, made the call during a press briefing preparatory to the commemoration of World Humanitarian Day in Maiduguri on Friday.
She said it was unacceptable that governments had not acted forcefully to stop people who kidnapped children from schools, killed teachers and other females, and sexually assaulted young schoolgirls.
The arrangement to de-radicalize repentant terrorists or bandits, thereby exonerating them from a criminal conviction, has been widely criticized.
She demanded that judicial institutions be strengthened appropriately and issued a dire warning that the heinous deed must end so that kids could attend school without worrying about being abducted or sexually assaulted.
She said, “So, yes, it is bad. You can read these on a daily basis on the number of attacks on the community and schools. Just a couple of days ago, teachers were attacked and unfortunately, they were murdered. This aspect requires immediate action.
“It is not acceptable that bandits are not taking to courts and they have been assaulting, killing children and women; abducting and raping etc. It scares me, if there is any process, I think there is no proper punishment for these people legally.
“We have international laws and also a legal system. Of course, the country has their national laws and these laws have to be applied.”
Sub-Saharan Africa’s Sahel area, where more people died from terrorism in 2022 than in South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa (MENA) put together, is the current epicenter of the global threat.