CAUSES, TRENDS AND IMPACTS OF ARMED CONFLICT ON SOCIAL WELFARE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN IN NIGERIA: A LEGAL APPRAISAL

Abstract

The 21st century has experienced aggravated armed conflicts in almost every part of the world, from Nigeria toSouth Africa, Iraq to Yugoslavia, Afghanistan to Syria, and to Yemen. Nigeria has stark divisions along the linesof deep-rooted ethnic, regional and religious bias, which cause agitations, unhealthy competition, rivalry andeven war. Since its independence, Nigeria has been torn in different directions by repeated crisis of regionalagitation, religious superiority, political violence and diverse economic interest, which stall economictransformation and national cohesion. Armed conflict has threatened Nigeria’s peace, stability and unity,increased the number of civilian victims of armed conflicts, refugees, internally displaced persons (IDP’s) andpeople in need of rapid humanitarian attention has increased. At the receiving end of all chaos, insurrection,unrest and armed violence are vulnerable children who face devastating consequences of armed conflict.Nigeria’s socio-political landscape has been infested by armed conflict and for the country to end this trend, itis important to explore the history of armed conflicts in Nigeria, access the trend, identify its causes, analyse theeffects of armed conflict on social welfare rights of children in Nigeria, vis a vis an appraisal of the legalregime targeted towards ending the menace of armed conflict.