Street Children as Threat to National Security and Peace in Nigeria: Can the Child Rights Act serve as a Panacea?

Abstract

This paper highlights how street children can be a threat to National Security and Peace in Nigeria. It has been observed that street children are vulnerable and can easily be used as political thugs, foot soldiers and terror elements in religious conflicts, accomplices to armed robbery and easy recruits for ethnic militia.  Street children get involved in petty theft on the streets and stealing through car windows in traffic holdups. Street children have also been known to be involved in raping unsuspecting females passing through lonely or dark places. Top among the issues of concern is why these children are still on the streets despite laws seeking to prevent them from being there. The paper examines the existing legislations that provide for children in need of care and protection with the view of determining their adequacy or otherwise.  The impact of the law mandating parents to take responsibility for the feeding, housing and general upbringing of their children and wards is also considered.   It looks into the role of regulatory authorities, courts and the Nigerian Government in arresting this situation. It also considers the extent to which these agencies are enforcing the law that empowers them to arrest these children and either cause the parents to face their responsibilities of taking care of their children, or causing the government to take these children to institutions where their needs will be taken care of.  Finally, the lapses that are inherent in the constitution that the government is taking advantage of are considered.  The paper concludes by proffering likely solutions to prevent the possibility of children being prone to misuse or becoming a threat to national security and peace. The author is of the opinion that rehabilitation of street children into the society where they can learn a trade of their choice will go a long way in solving this problem. The political will of government to eradicate poverty by creating jobs and empowering the citizens to establish their own business will reduce the number of children on our streets. In most big towns and cities in Nigeria, it is not unusual to see children between the age of three and 18 roaming the streets at all hours of the day and even at nights.  These children are seen roaming the street aimlessly, begging, being used as beggars’ guides and hawking petty wares.  Some of these children live and sleep on the streets while some go back home at nights to their parents, guardians or any adult they live with.  It has been observed that street children are vulnerable and can easily be used as political thugs, foot soldiers and terror elements in ethnic/religious conflicts, accomplices to robbery and armed robbers and easy recruits to ethnic militia.  Street children get involved in pick pocketing, stealing through car windows in traffic hold ups, breaking and stealing from shops during demonstrations that had earlier started as peaceful, which street children had taken advantage of, to loot and cause wanton destruction of properties and killing of innocent people.  Street children have also been known to be involved in raping unsuspecting female passing through lonely or dark places. The questions now are: Why are these children on the street despite laws seeking to prevent children from being on the street?  Is the law mandating parents to take responsibility for the feeding, housing and general upbringing of their children and wards making any impact?  Are the agencies concerned for the welfare of children adequately enforcing the law that empowers them to arrest these children and either cause the parents to face their responsibilities of taking care of their children, or causing the government to take these children to institutions where their needs will be taken care of?  Finally, what lapses are inherent in the constitution that the government is taking advantage of? This paper examines the existing legislations that provide for children in need of care and protection with the view to determining its adequacy or otherwise.  It also highlights how street children can be a threat to National Security and Peace in Nigeria.  It looks into the role of legislations, regulatory authorities, courts and the Nigerian Government in arresting this situation.  The paper concludes by proffering likely solutions to prevent the possibility of children being used or becoming a threat to national security and peace in Nigeria.