The Senate has moved to outlaw the recruitment of persons under the age of 18 into the military as it passed the Armed Forces (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2025, for second reading.
The proposed law, which prohibits the enlistment of minors, aligns Nigeria’s military practices with the Child Rights Act, 2003, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
Sponsored by Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (Katsina Central), the bill seeks to repeal the existing Armed Forces Act, 2004, and replace it with a constitutionally compliant and operationally responsive law.