By Prosper Okoye
Child protection advocate and Founder of Saffron Social Development Global Foundation (SaffronSDGF), Opeyemi Ebulu-Eyuruntari, has warned that being a child in Nigeria is becoming increasingly dangerous amid rising cases of kidnappings, violence, abuse and other threats affecting children across the country.
Speaking in a statement to mark the 2026 Children’s Day celebration, Ebulu-Eyuruntari said many Nigerian children are growing up in environments marked by fear, insecurity and exploitation rather than safety, protection and opportunity.
“Being a child in Nigeria is increasingly risky,” she said, noting that childhood for many children is being overshadowed by violence, neglect, kidnappings, insecurity and preventable deaths.
The child protection professional expressed concern over recent incidents involving mass kidnappings of schoolchildren, attacks on educational institutions, abductions from orphanages and vulnerable care settings, as well as increasing reports of killings, displacement and trauma affecting children and families across the country.
According to her, the incidents underscore the urgent need for stronger safeguarding measures and child protection systems.
“Children’s Day should be a day filled with joy, laughter, protection, dreams and hope for the future. However, for too many children across Nigeria, childhood is increasingly being overshadowed by fear, violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation, kidnappings, insecurity and preventable deaths,” she said.
Ebulu-Eyuruntari called on government at all levels and relevant stakeholders to move beyond ceremonial celebrations and take practical steps to strengthen child protection across the country.
She advocated stronger safeguarding and child protection policies, effective implementation and enforcement mechanisms, child-focused legislation, safer schools and communities, greater investment in prevention programmes and increased funding for child welfare services.
The SaffronSDGF founder also called for the establishment of multi-agency safeguarding structures, professional workforce development, community-based protection initiatives and trauma-informed support systems for vulnerable children.
She said her organisation, through its flagship initiative, Safeguarding the Nigerian Child, remains committed to promoting policies and interventions that ensure every child is protected and given the opportunity to thrive.
“We strongly believe that every child counts, every child matters and every child deserves protection,” she said.
Ebulu-Eyuruntari further urged policymakers, schools, faith-based organisations, non-governmental organisations, community leaders, parents and development partners to work together to build a safer environment for children.
She also renewed calls for the full establishment and enforcement of a comprehensive national safeguarding and child protection policy that prioritises prevention, accountability, rehabilitation and the long-term wellbeing of Nigerian children.
Despite the challenges facing children across the country, she expressed optimism that sustained commitment from stakeholders could help create a future where every Nigerian child can live free from violence, abuse and neglect.
