Nigeria is ranked among the top three countries with the highest number of detained children, many held illegally with adults, experts warn.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and legal experts have raised concern over Nigeria’s detention of minors, calling for urgent reforms to protect child rights.
At the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference in Enugu, lead discussant Uju Agomoh revealed that Nigeria ranks among the top three countries with the highest number of children in detention. She described the practice of keeping minors in adult cells as unlawful.
“The number of children in detention, awaiting trial in Nigeria is unacceptable. How can the Bar help stop this abuse?” Agomoh asked.
She noted that 70% of detained children lack legal representation, despite the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 prohibiting such practices. Only three Borstal Institutions operate nationwide, raising questions about conditions for minors in other states.
Speakers urged NBA to strengthen advocacy, enforce existing laws, and train lawyers on child justice cases.