Presidency Reveals Why Boko Haram Targets Children For Abduction

President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has said Boko Haram often resorts to abducting children from rural communities to replenish its ranks after suffering losses during military operations.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Bwala explained that the insurgent group allegedly recruits children taken from villages whenever its membership declines.

According to him, many of those recruited into the terrorist group are forced into joining against their will.

“When Boko Haram begins to lose its members, they go into villages, abduct children and take them into the bush, where they are recruited. These are people who never volunteered to join the group,” he said.

Bwala noted that some abductees eventually escape from the insurgents’ camps and surrender to Nigerian authorities, adding that the government does not execute those who voluntarily return.

“If something happens in the camp and they manage to escape, they return to the Nigerian government and declare that they have repented. The government does not shoot them,” he stated.

The presidential aide said the handling of such individuals is guided by international humanitarian principles and the United Nations conventions governing armed conflict.

Addressing concerns that some former insurgents may return to criminal activities, Bwala acknowledged that such risks exist, pointing to previous remarks by Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum linking renewed attacks to some rehabilitated fighters who allegedly returned to the battlefield.

“Many Nigerians are concerned because there have been instances where some of those who surrendered later returned to violent activities. Even the Governor of Borno has suggested that some renewed attacks may be connected to such cases,” he said.

Bwala, however, maintained that defections and recidivism are realities in conflict situations across the world, noting that similar occurrences have been witnessed even within established state institutions and intelligence services.

“In every conflict, these possibilities exist. We have seen people defect from state institutions and even foreign intelligence agencies to opposing groups. These are realities of warfare,” he added.