Child Abuse in Nigeria

The child is the bedrock of any society and as such needs to be trained, adequately handled and protected. Children are the greatest assurance of the continuity of human society. Without children today there will be no society of humans tomorrow. Yet children are the most vulnerable members of the society. Onwe (2014) stated that Nigerian children are highly vulnerable to income gap or poverty, cultural values, religious incidence and unacceptable economic and social factors. This vulnerability usually exposes children to abuse. Olok-Ake (2000) described child abuse as all sorts of injustice, abnormality and inhuman treatment given to the young feeble ones by the adult generation. The African Network for the Protection and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) defined child abuse as the physical, emotional or sexual exploitation by parents, guardians or others. According to Alokan (2010) Child abuse includes any behaviour which neglects the child's survival and development needs, causes physical or emotional injury, harassment or subjects the child to measures, situations and experiences which interfere with the healthy development towards adulthood.