No fewer than 894 child fighters formerly with the state-backed Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Borno State have been removed from the volunteer group and released to UNICEF and other humanitarian organisations for reintegration.
Tvc News Kolomi Dala reports that the CJTF came into being in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State in June 2013 as a volunteer group in response to increasing Boko Haram killings and attacks in the city.
The first voluneers were mainly youths carrying clubs and machettes in search of the insurgents.
The state government later organised them into an armed group with revelant enabling laws following complaints of their excesses.
A total of 3, 737 children associated with CJTF have been identified within Maiduguri and nine other local governments areas of Borno state
Over the last two years, UNICEF has worked to separate the children voluntarily associated with the CJTF
On Friday, 894 children were released and the separation of children from armed group was to protect their rights following an Action Plan signed between the CJTF leadership and United Nations Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting Grave Child Rights Violations.
Mohammed Fall, UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, charged parties to conflicts in the northeast to stop recruiting and using children.
The active participation of children in the conflict has a negative impact on their lives.
The Nigerian government and its aid partners are worried that ensuring their protection is crucial to building the future of the country and the entire North East region.
Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, George Sterner assures that Switzerland will support Nigeria on the humanitarian activities in the northeast.
The event is the first step towards opening up the opportunity for these young people to start over in their formative years .
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