Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri July 9, 2018
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai has handed over 183 children to Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno for deradicalisation and rehabilitation programme. The children, who comprise 175 boys and eight girls; were associated with an armed group in Borno, Adamawa and Borno states; before their arrests by Army. Presenting the children yesterday at the Maimalari Cantonment Officers’ mess, Maiduguri, Buratai said that before their arrests, they were “suicide bombers and informants” to Boko Haram groups. Buratai, who was represented by the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, disclosed that some of the handed over children, were combatants to Boko Haram in the Northeast. He said the handing over exercise, are in compliance with United Nations directives and within the rules of engagement of the military of Operation Lafiya Dole. His words: “The handed over children will undergo comprehensive psycho-social and medical support under the deradicalisation and rehabilitation programme. “We cannot take any hash standards against these children other than to deradicalise and rehabilitate them, before the state government hands them to their parents and guardians.” Governor Kashim Shettima said that the children are to be rehabilitated, before sending them to schools for their basic education. “We are returning all of you to your parents after undergoing the rehabilitation programme at Bulumkuttu centre,” he said. Shettima, who was represented by the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Fanta Baba Shehu, thanked the Army for handing in the children for the rehabilitation programme. She said this is not the first time, children were received from army to undergo various rehabilitation programmes, which include psychosocial and medical support. She warned the children against any misbehaviour during and after the six-months rehabilitation programme. The United Nations representative, Ibrahim Sesay, child protection specialist of UNICEF said the UN system will ensure that the integration of the children is consistent with international standards. He said that UNICEF will also provide critical integration assistance at the community level. “We will provided all the necessary peer support to the handed over children, so that their future is bright. “The rehabilitation programme has also provided an alternative that is sustainable, which has currently accommodated over 7,000 children at the Bulumkutu, Maiduguri centre.”
