Boko Haram Kidnaps Children to Replace Fallen Fighters — Presidency

The Presidency has disclosed that Boko Haram increasingly kidnaps children from rural communities to replenish its ranks whenever the terrorist group suffers heavy losses during military operations.

President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, made the disclosure on Wednesday while appearing on Politics Today on Channels Television.

According to Bwala, the insurgent group resorts to abducting children from villages and forcing them into its camps, where they are indoctrinated and recruited into armed conflict.

He explained that many of those eventually described as repentant insurgents were initially recruited against their will after being kidnapped from their communities.

“When Boko Haram starts to lose their members, they go to villages, carry children and take them into the bush to recruit them. These are people recruited against their will,” Bwala said.

He noted that when such individuals later escape from the camps and surrender to government authorities, the Nigerian government does not automatically treat them as combatants deserving of execution.

Bwala said the handling of surrendered insurgents is guided by international humanitarian principles and conventions governing armed conflicts.

According to him, the United Nations framework on armed conflict recognises the complex circumstances surrounding individuals, particularly children, who are forcibly recruited into terrorist organisations.

He, however, acknowledged concerns raised by many Nigerians over reports that some rehabilitated insurgents had allegedly returned to criminal activities after undergoing government deradicalisation programmes.

Bwala admitted that there have been cases where some former fighters reportedly rejoined insurgent groups after their release.

He referenced previous comments by Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum suggesting that renewed attacks in parts of the North-East may have involved individuals who had earlier surrendered.

The presidential aide described such occurrences as unfortunate but said they remain realities associated with conflicts across the world.

He compared the situation to cases of defections within conventional military and intelligence organisations, noting that similar incidents occur internationally.

Bwala maintained that the Federal Government would continue implementing rehabilitation and reintegration programmes while strengthening military operations against insurgent groups.

He added that the administration remains committed to balancing national security with internationally recognised humanitarian obligations, particularly in dealing with victims of forced recruitment, including children abducted by terrorist organisations.