Boko Haram now recruiting child soldiers — MNJTF

THE Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) says the Boko Haram terrorist group has introduced the use of child soldiers to resuscitate its declining influence in the Lake Chad Basin.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Chief of Military Public Information for MNJTF, Colonel Timothy  Antigha, disclosed this in a statement issued from N’Djamena, Chad on Thursday.

Antigha said the recruitment of child soldiers by the sect was part of their new strategies following the recent mass surrender by their fighters to the military.

He said information on that Boko Haram now recruiting child soldiers was brought in by intelligence sources and corroborated by concerned individuals and groups a couple of days ago. Colonel Antigha added that Boko-Haram terrorists further confirmed the development when they posted pictures of children dressed in military fatigue and holding assault rifles in a video released during the Sallah celebrations.

According to him,  the latest in a retinue of brutal and inhuman tactics deployed by the terrorist group since it began the futile attempt to cause mayhem and overthrow constitutional and social order is that Boko Haram now recruiting child soldiers. “Earlier,  Boko Haram has engaged in the mass abduction of schoolgirls, sexual enslavement of women and mass murder of innocent civilians.

“This recent employment of child soldiers is as a result of frustration caused by several operational losses, leadership crises, as well as disillusionment among fighters and their subsequent surrender in hundreds to the MNJTF. “The focus on children is because they are easier to manipulate and indoctrinate than the adults within the region who can now see through the veil of deceit.

“Arising from this latest atrocity by Boko Haram, the MNJTF urges parents, local authorities, religious and traditional institutions to be vigilant and promptly alert security agencies of any overt or covert attempts to recruit their children and wards,” he said.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Magu Cries Out Over Fair Hearing, Lawyer Writes Salami Panel
SUSPENDED acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, has told the Ayo Salami-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry that his rights to a fair hearing are being violated. This is contained in a letter written by Magu’s lawyer, Mr Wahab Shittu, dated August 11, and addressed …

FG To Deduct Money From States Over Double Taxation
THE Federal Government is set to sanction states engaging in double taxation in the country, as the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has asked the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, to deduct money from the source from those states…

Insecurity: NGF Calls For Investigation Into Obadiah Mailafia’s Allegation
The Northern Governors Forum (NGF) has called on security agencies to investigate the allegation by a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Obadiah Mailafia, that “…one of the Northern governors is the commander of Boko Haram in…

FG Set To Pay N22.6 Billion Final Entitlement Of Ex-Airways Workers
THE former workers of the defunct national carrier, Nigeria Airways, may soon have cause to smile as indications have just emerged that efforts are on top gear to ensure the payment of the final batch of their benefits. Information flittered out early in the week of the ongoing move by the Federal Government to offset…

UNILAG Council Appoints Omololu Soyombo As Acting VC
With the removal of Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, the governing council has appointed Prof Omololu Soyombo as acting vice-chancellor. Registrar of UNILAG, Oladejo Azeez, in a statement also confirmed that Ogundipe was lawfully removed as vice-chancellor at an emergency meeting…

Audit Query: NPA Recovers $89 Million, N2.404 Billion Outstanding Rental Debts
Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) on Wednesday disclosed that it has recovered whooping sums of $89 million and N2.404 billion outstanding debt owed by some corporate organisations. Managing Director, NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman disclosed this during the investigative hearing held at the instance of the House Committee on Public Accounts…