By Victor Enengedi
A group of children suspects released by military authorities over the weekend for terrorist activities claim they were paid N5000 to burn down schools and spy on soldiers by the notorious Islamist terrorist sect, Boko Haram.
Punch reports that the children, whose age ranges between nine and 15 years, narrated their story to a gathering of journalists, telling of how they were paid to burn down schools and help carry BH ammunitions.
One of the children said, ‘We usually help Boko Haram to carry stolen items each time and sometimes help them to give information about people they want to attack and sometimes even help to hide their guns after attacks. They pay us N5000 after every operation. I regret what I did, I want to go home and ask for forgiveness from my father and mother for what I did; I also want to go to school.’
The children were among 23 women and 35 children released to the governors of Borno and Yobe States by the Commander, 21 Armoured Brigade, Maiduguri, Brig-Gen. R.O Bamigboye, on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sa’ad Ibrahim.
