Boko Haram Child Soldiers Surrender to Nigerian Govt

The Nigerian government has handed over 86 child soldiers who fought for the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram to the Borno State government, as part of Operation Layifa Dole.

They voluntarily surrendered to troops towards the end of last week and will now begin a comprehensive childcare support programme sponsored by the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Acting Director of Defence Information, Onyema Nwachukwu said that as part of Operation Safe Corridor, the fighters will be put through the Deradicalization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme.

He explained “Operation Safe Corridor is a Defence Headquarters-led non-kinetic multi-national and multi-agency humanitarian operation conducted in tandem with extant international humanitarian laws to encourage willing and repentant Boko Haram terrorists in the North East to shun violent extremism.

“The operation is designed to also deradicalize, rehabilitate, and reintegrate repentant Boko Haram combatants who willingly surrender to troops”.

The operation is supported internationally by non-governmental and multi-national organisations alike.

Nwachukwu further added that an additional 500 fighters were set to begin the DRR programme, adding to the growing number that have so far made the move away from Boko Haram.

These 86 fighters, some of whom are as young as 10-years-old, now join the 1,370 fighters that have already begun the DRR programme as part of Operation Lafiya Dole.