The Senate has taken a definitive step to prohibit the recruitment of persons under the age of 18 into the Nigerian armed forces.
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The move came as the Senate passed the Armed Forces (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2025, for a second reading on Wednesday.
This provision, which effectively outlaws the enlistment of minors, aims to align Nigeria’s military practices with international and domestic laws, including the Child Rights Act (2003), the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
Sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (Katsina Central), the bill seeks to replace the outdated Armed Forces Act of 2004 with a new law that is constitutionally compliant and responsive to modern democratic and security demands.
Senator Yar’Adua emphasized that the reform was “long overdue,” noting that the current legislation, derived from a military decree, no longer meets the standards of modern governance.
CULLED FROM CHANNELS
