Boko Haram Paid Us N5,000 Each To Burn Schools – Kid Suspects

Some kid suspects released by military authorities in
Maiduguri on Friday said the Boko Haram sect paid them
N5,000 each to burn primary schools and spy on soldiers.
They 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.
The children, whose ages range between nine and 15 years,
said they were given kegs of petrol by Boko Haram leaders
and sent to burn schools in both states.
Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, government
officials and journalists listened in bewilderment as the
children narrated how they were used by the extremist sect
to burn schools and spy on soldiers.
One of them said they were taken to the Yobe State capital,
Damaturu, and told to spy on soldiers attached to the Joint
Task Force and report back to the Boko Haram
commanders.
He said, “We were taken to Damaturu. We watched out for
the soldiers at their unit and reported back to them. We
were reporting either when soldiers were at ease or enjoying
themselves and when they were off guard and we were paid
for doing that.”
Another child suspect said, “I usually helped Boko Haram to
leak information on military activities so that they could
attack them (soldiers). My last job was to travel from
Maiduguri to Gashua to spy on soldiers before I was
caught.”
Yet another 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.”
One of the boys said he was arrested last year after he was
overheard talking about the people who burnt a school in
Maiduguri and failed to inform the military.
“I was arrested because I know those who burnt the school
without telling the soldiers. Some people heard me
discussing about the people who burnt the school and
reported me to the soldiers who arrested me,” he said.
One of the teenagers said they were paid N5,000 and
provided with fuel in kegs to set schools ablaze in
Maiduguri.
The release of the suspects was done in line with the
Federal Government’s amnesty deal.
In Borno State, 20 detainees, comprising six women and 14
children arrested between 2012 and 2013 were set free and
handed over to Shettima for rehabilitation and reintegration.
The 20 detainees were mostly arrested in Maiduguri, Bama
in Borno and Damaturu in Yobe State.
Bamigboye, who supervised the handing over, said he was
acting on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral
Sa’ad Ibrahim.
This, he said, was in line with the directive of President
Goodluck Jonathan to the army.
He explained that the detainees were arrested in connection
with the roles they played in the insurgency.
The six freed women were Hajia Zainab Mohammed, 40;
Hajia Karagama Mohammed, 55; Hajia Zari Mohammed, 40;
Aishatu Mohammed Aji, 62; Hadiza Ahmad, 40; and Yakaka
Goni Habib, 16.
The 14 children released were Abba Modu Aji,10;
Mohammed Musa, 12; Ibrahim Mohammed, 15; Umar Bukar,
15; Mustapha Umaru, 14; Bashir Ali, 12; Musa Grema, 13;
Abba Mohammed, 14; Baba Alhaji, 13; AbdulAziz Umar, 14;
Ari Masa’a, 14; Bayi Mustapha, 14; Mohammed Ibrahim, 14
and Alhaji Goni, 14.
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