Boko Haram Paid Us Only N5,000 To Burn Down Schools ––Young Boys

Some teenage suspects with the military
authorities in Maiduguri on Friday said the
Boko Haram sect paid them only N5,000 each
to burn primary schools and spy on soldiers in
different locations.
“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,” said one of the boys.
The teenage boys 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 Borno and Yobe states for N5,000.
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 the teenage boys 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.”
Another boy 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 release of the teenage suspects was done
in line with the Federal Government’s amnesty
deal.