TERRORISM AND CHILDREN: PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF THE IMPACT OF BOKO HARAM ON CHILDREN IN THE NORTH EAST OF NIGERIA.

Global terrorism is an extremely dangerous new threat in human history. Ben steadily on the rise, particularly in use unstable regions such as Africa and the Middle East. This study examine the primary investigation of the impact of boko haram on children in the north east of Nigeria to achieve the following objectives were set; to investigate the social psychological impact of boko haram on children, impact of boko haram violence on the education of children and its aftermath effect and to explore the health impact of boko haram insurgency on IDPs. This study view the attention of the damaging effect of boko haram on little children and the relevant literatures to examine, under the following headings, concept of terrorism, over view of terrorism, over view of internal displacements, terrorism and children, reaction of children on terrorism, emotional and behavioral impact of terrorism on children, boko haram terrorism on educational system, roles of government towards children and right of internal displaced children. The research design for the work was on descriptive survey design using ex-post facto research to achieve the objective and the study of population, comprise children in Nigeria that were affected by catastrophic menace of boko haram. The data were collected through the secondary source which involves several online literatures, public journal, textbooks, magazines, library articles, internet and other sources of information. The secondary data was analysis through content analysis through social psychological impact of boko haram on north eastern children show high prevalence of psychological problems in children with respect to anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Impact of boko haram violence on the education of children has put insecurity and attacks have kept more than 670,000 children out of the classrooms for more than a year, putting them at risk of dropping out of schools altogether while more than 132,000 children received learning materials, including in local schools hosting displaced student. The impact of boko haram insurgency on IDPs has brought many children most affect to malnourished, living in high unhygienic conditions has multiple their problem and the infection ratio is very high due to poor sanitation. It can be concluded that UNICEF continue to spearhead the monitoring and report mechanism on grave violations on children’s right. The health reflect that children in the north are almost four times as likely to be malnourished. Child mortality is over 200 death per 1000 live births, leading to lower life expectancy. Educational standard are just bad. Literacy in the north is 35 per cent as opposed to 77 per cent in the rest of the country. Based on the findings the government should provide scholarships for the children that were affected. The government should empower there parent by providing capital fot them so that they can provide for their children in other to avoid mal nutrition. Also the government should provide health facilities in a place where these children would have access to treatment free of charge. Lastly government should provide a recreation center where they can visit from time to time to enable them to forget their past.