President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Eze Anaba, has issued a stark warning that Nigeria is facing an unprecedented emergency concerning the safety, welfare, and future of its children.
Speaking at the UNICEF–NGE–DAME World Children’s Day event in Lagos on Tuesday, Anaba said the condition of the Nigerian child has deteriorated so severely that only the civil war era comes close.
“Nigeria is in a state of emergency. If we did not know before, we should know now,” he declared, noting that the government’s recent highest-level security alert reflects the danger children face across the country.
Anaba condemned the relentless wave of violence, abductions, and attacks that continue to claim young lives, describing schools—once safe havens—as “theatres of war.” With over 110 million children in a population of 220 million, he stressed that “what happens to our children happens to Nigeria.”
He listed grim realities:
- The world’s highest number of out-of-school children
- Girls disproportionately excluded due to poverty, conflict, and cultural bias
- Millions of unvaccinated infants
- Rampant child labour, abuse, early marriage
- Children forced to become combatants in conflict zones
“These are not statistics,” he said. “They are living tragedies derailing the future of our nation.”
Anaba challenged journalists to abandon passive reporting and embrace data-driven, solutions-focused journalism that exposes root causes and amplifies children’s voices.
“The media is not a passive observer. It is an active participant in shaping public consciousness.”
He praised civil society as the bridge to communities and commended UNICEF for its long-standing support through data, training, and policy advocacy.
But he insisted that government bears the ultimate responsibility to protect children through strong laws, investment in education and health, school security, and accountability for violence against children.
Anaba urged every stakeholder to leave the event with at least one commitment—an investigative series, NGO partnership, policy dialogue, or advocacy campaign.
Quoting Mandela, he concluded:
“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”
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