UNICEF on Monday welcomed the release of four girls abducted by armed groups in Borno State, north-east Nigeria
The organisation called for the immediate release of all conflict-affected children held in captivity across the region.
A statement from UNICEF said, the released girls and others still in captivity were abducted from the Kautikari community earlier this month in the Chibok Local Government Area.
They said “Chibok came to global attention in 2014 when 276 schoolgirls were abducted from their school. About 173 of the Chibok girls are still missing. Earlier this month, an unconfirmed number of children were reportedly abducted in Pemi, another community in the Chibok LGA.
They also said “UNICEF is very relieved for the released girls and their families,’’ said Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria.
Peter Hawkins. Said that “Children in Nigeria continue to face unprecedented violations of their rights, including abductions, torture, killings, recruitment into armed groups, and forced marriages, among other abuses of their rights.
In the north-east, more than 1,000 children have been abducted since 2014, with at least 100 still missing or unaccounted for.
