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…Authorities suspect that abducted minors are being forced into militant roles
…Residents urge urgent intervention by the military and the government
UNICEF data reveals over 1,100 children recruited in the North East
Daud Olatunji
Tension has gripped parts of Borno State following the spread of a viral video showing a group of underage children dressed in military-style uniforms partying in a forest, raising fresh concerns about the possible recruitment of minors by armed groups in the north-east.
The footage, which has been shared widely on social media, shows around 18 children dressed in combat uniforms lined up as they cheer in what appears to be a remote forest.
While the exact location of the video is yet to be independently verified, some residents believe that the children may be from Ngoshe axis of Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno South Senatorial District, based on the language spoken in the clip.
Reacting to the development, the youth group secretary of the Borno South Coalition APC, Junaid Jibril Maiva, warned that the situation could pose a serious security threat if not addressed urgently.
“They look like child soldiers, perhaps from the Ngoshe axis judging by the language they speak. If this isn’t a ticking time bomb, then I don’t know what is,” Maiva wrote in a Facebook post on Monday.
He urged the government to act quickly to prevent the situation from escalating into a deeper security crisis.
“The government must act deliberately and decisively, otherwise this war risks consuming us all,” he added.
Another social media user, Muhammad Abdulrahman, suggested that the children seen in the video could be hostages held by rebel groups.
According to him, the presence of hostages could be one of the factors limiting immediate military action in the area.
“One reason the Nigerian Air Force cannot eliminate them overnight is the hundreds of people they are holding hostage,” he wrote.
When contacted for reaction, the Commissioner for Women’s Affairs and Social Development in Borno State, Zuwaira Gambo, said the children in the video could be kidnapping victims rather than willing fighters.
He noted that insurgents often forcibly remove children from communities and schools during attacks before forcing them to appear in propaganda materials.
“I haven’t seen the video, but from experience, these children are often victims who have been forcibly taken from the streets and even from schools,” Gambo said.
The commissioner added that recent attacks in some parts of the state have led to the abduction of several women and children who may subsequently be forced to wear military-style uniforms.
“You are aware of the recent attacks where it was said that many women and children have been kidnapped. They can simply sew uniforms and make them wear them,” he said.
Gambo further said that before the recent wave of attacks, the state government had seen significant progress in preventing the recruitment of children by rebel groups through targeted programmes.
According to her, initiatives such as awareness campaigns, school clubs, community engagements with traditional and religious leaders and the establishment of children’s parliaments have helped discourage child recruitment.
He added that the government has also implemented free education policies and other programs aimed at increasing school enrollments across the state.
Gambo further revealed that around 200 street children were recently rescued, rehabilitated and reunited with their families as part of the state’s child protection efforts.
He said the combined interventions had earlier contributed to the erasure of Borno from areas where children were actively recruited into terrorism.
However, concerns persist about the resurgence of child recruitment in the region.
In February, the United Nations Children’s Fund warned that the recruitment of children by armed groups in northeast Nigeria continued to pose a growing threat.
According to the agency, in 2024 alone at least 1,120 children were recruited by armed groups across the region, including 525 boys and 595 girls.
UNICEF urged governments in the North East to step up measures to protect children and prevent their involvement in armed conflicts.
Source: The Guardian
The community of Ngoshe recently attracted renewed attention following an attack on a military base in the area, during which several civilians were reportedly killed while more than 300 residents were kidnapped by insurgents.
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