UN Partners CJTF To End Child Soldier Recruitment in N’east

THE United Nations (UN), in collaborations with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Borno State, has signed a “plan of action” to end massive recruitment and use of children in the armed conflict in the Northeast.

The CJTF is a youth vigilance group established by Borno State government during the eight-year Boko Haram insurgency to tackle terrorist activities in the state.

CJTF members, who are volunteers in the fight against insurgency, have been accused alongside Boko Haraminsurgents of recruit- ing children.

To set the records straight, the group at the weekend, signed an action plan with the UN, supervised by the Borno State Deputy governor, Usman Durkwa in Maiduguri.

In a related development, Virginia Gamba, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-general for Children and Armed Conflict, and UNICEF in Nigeria, has welcomed the signing of the action plan with CJTF).

The UN, in a statement, said the action on the part of the CJTF is commendable and should be sustained to restore peace and security.