1,364 W’African children recruited by terrorists, 14,000 schools shut –UN

The United Nations has decried the deepening humanitarian impact of terrorism in West Africa and the Sahel, revealing that 1,364 children were recruited by armed groups in 2024, while more than 14,000 schools were shut due to insecurity.

UN Under Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Simão, disclosed this on Wednesday at the Regional Conference on Combating Emerging Terrorist Groups and Strengthening Sustainable Security in the ECOWAS Region and the Sahel, in Abuja.

Simão said the situation reflects “stolen futures, fractured communities, and deepening fragility,” as terrorist groups increasingly exploit ungoverned spaces, local grievances, and advanced technologies, such as drones and encrypted communications, to entrench their operations.

He said, “Furthermore, we have to recognise that terrorist organisations have shown a troubling ability to adapt—exploiting ungoverned spaces, inflaming community grievances, and employing advanced technologies, such as drones, encrypted communications, and cyber tools to execute strikes with greater precision and heightened psychological impact. Punch