UNITED NATIONS: More women and children have been used as suicide bombers in Northeast Nigeria in the first five months of this year than during the whole of last year, according to reports collated by United Nations Children Fund (Unicef).

“Children are not instigating these suicide attacks; they are used intentionally by adults in the most horrific way,” said Jean Gough, Unicef Representative in Nigeria, in a statement. “They are first and foremost victims – not perpetrators.”

The frequency and intensity of the suicide attacks involving women and girls have increased sharply this year.

Girls and women have been used to detonate bombs or explosive belts at crowded locations, such as market places and bus stations.

Since July 2014, nine suicide incidents involving children aged between approximately 7 and 17 years — all of them girls — have been reported.

Their identity and exact ages have not been verified, as estimates are based primarily on eyewitness accounts.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2015

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