Escaped Boko Haram Says They Were Forcefully Recruited

There are reports that the Nigerian troops who have in recent times engaged the dreaded Boko Haram in fierce battle are gaining upper hand.

One of the new recruits who escaped the Boko Haram captivity has revealed how they were forced in joining the Islamist group.

While the sect have continued to forcefully recruit new members, however, it appears there is confusion in the camp of the Islamist group as to who will head the sect following the death of their leader, Abubakar Shekau, Saturday Sun reports.

According to Saturday Sun one of those recruited by the sect who left the group recently said they were mostly natives who were used by the insurgents to identify houses of prominent figures in government in the two localities, Michika and Madagali and their environs. 

There are reports that about hundred were recruited in Michika and Madagali localities of Adamawa State.

Taking advantage of the recent defeat by the troops in the affected states those forcefully recruited with claims that they were hypnotized by the insurgents toward assisting in dishing out vital information reportedly escaped to Mubi and Yola, the state capital.

Speaking about his experience, one of those that escaped, Aliu Dauda who said they did not join the sect on their own will as they hypnotized using certain liquid substances told Saturday Sun saying:

“Most youths in Michika were forcefully recruited to join the gang, first as subsidiary staff. Failure to do their bidding attracted lashes or being shot in the leg or confined in an underground detention camp.

“We served as informants and any attempt to give out false information will be punished severely. The fact remains that we were placed under a spell, which made it possible for us to obey them. We discovered that we were doing everything they told us without complaints.

“I thank God that I survived and now in the midst of our kinsmen who have helped us to recover from the after effect of our abduction” .

“Those that forcefully recruited us do not have human feelings. While we were in their midst, we could not resist whatever they told us because a liquid substance was given to us.” 

When asked how he was able to escape, he said that, “first and foremost, there were disagreement and disenchantment between the rank and file of the gang and our supposed leaders. Those of us that were newly recruited five months ago, had to escape when it was apparent that Nigerian troops were having an edge over the Boko Haram sect.

“At the stage we were, we weren’t given arms and ammunitions but rather our assignments were to give out information and identify locations and targets for destruction. We had not graduated to that stage; those recruited in Konduga and Gwoza were our seniors in the business of killing. We that were forcefully recruited in Gulak, Madagali and Michika, were considered not mature or trained to handle weapons or take charge of ammunition.”

“As a result of hunger and starvation, the gang allowed the newly recruited to search everywhere for food. We were given this assignment because we are familiar with the localities.

We had no choice but to break into people’s houses who are our kinsmen to get raw food. Besides, houses of prominent persons in Michika were taken over by the sect.”

Meanwhile some of the indigenes, who were rescued from the Boko haram captivity said that the Nigerian troops were able to gain victory in recent battle with the sect because the bond the sect once had has begun to weaken, thereby causing division. 

Nigerian troops, in recent times have recorded massive successes over the insurgents just as the Nigerian military has also captured a massive armoury with arms and ammunitions belonging to the fleeing terrorists.

Just recently, on Monday, October 6, it was reported that Nigerian troops recorded victory over the dreaded Boko Haram sect in Bulabulin Ngaura village of Damboa LGA of Borno State as they killed many members of the sect in a fierce battle.