United States of America don put Nigeria for inside im Child Soldiers Prevention Act blacklist, dey talk say dis designation fit lead to cuts for military training, weapons sales, foreign military financing, and defence cooperation from October 1, 2026, unless President Donald Trump issue waiver.

Dis one happen after di State Department 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report talk say Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa still dey recruit and use children on Nigerian soil.

Di report, wey dem publish on October 11 and wey The PUNCH get on Monday, cover April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026 and na di latest assessment wey dey available of Nigeria anti-trafficking performance by di US State Department.

E put Nigeria for list of 14 nations, including Russia, Iran, South Sudan, and Somalia, wey dem accuse say dem dey recruit or use pikin soja.

Di report also show say di country anti-trafficking performance fail to meet minimum standards for di 15th year straight.

"Governments wey dem identify for di list dey subject to restrictions, for di following fiscal year, on certain security assistance and commercial licensing of military equipment.

"Di CSPA prohibit assistance to governments wey dem identify for di list under di following authorities: International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, Excess Defence Articles, and Peacekeeping Operations, with exceptions for some programs wey dem undertake according to di Peacekeeping Operations authority.

"Di CSPA also prohibit di issuing of licenses for direct commercial sales of military equipment to such governments. Starting October 1, 2026, and e go effective throughout Fiscal Year 2026, these restrictions go apply to di listed countries, if no presidential waiver, applicable exception, or reinstatement of assistance according to di terms of di CSPA," na wetin di report read.

E talk say di determination to include a government for di CSPA list "dey informed by range of sources, including first-hand observation by U.S. government personnel and research and credible reporting from various UN entities, international organisations, local and international NGOs, and international and domestic media outlets."

Di blacklisting come amid ongoing US-Nigeria security partnership after di Trump administration deploy Navy SEAL Team 6 alongside Nigerian forces for joint counterterrorism operations for di northeast and formalise di bilateral 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap.

According to di report, no single government official dem prosecute for state complicity in trafficking despite acknowledged corruption, even as di number of trafficking victims wey receive government assistance collapse from 2,058 di previous year to just 675.