Civilian JTF Disengages 2, 203 Child Soldiers In Borno

THE Civilian JTF has disengaged 2,203 children formerly enlisted as soldiers in Borno State.

Civilian JTF Commander, Abati Isa, disclosed this yesterday in Maiduguri, at an event organised to mark this year’s International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers.

He explained that the disengagement was in compliance with the United Nations ( UN) convention against child soldiers in the Northeast region of the country.

Isa, who applauded the state’s Ministry of Justice and the United Nations Children’s Fund ( UNICEF) for their roles against child soldiers, recalled that “the Borno State government engaged us in 2013 to assist the military and other security agencies fight Boko Haram insurgency.”

He added: “We were listed in the annexes of the Secretary-General’s Report on Children and Armed Conflict in April 2016 for child recruitment and use.

“In September 2017, the Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting ( CTFMR), in collaboration with UNICEF and other partners, signed an Action Plan with the CJTF to put an end to child recruitment and use.”

He said the CJTF, with the support of the CTFMR and the State Ministry of Justice, took steps to end the practice, noting: “Significant progress has been made by the CJTF in implementing the action plan.”

He stated that the steps included standing orders to all CJTF commanders and their sectors to stop recruiting children and the separation of 2,203 children from the group’s rank and file.

“The Secretary- General has also delisted the group from the annexes of the SecretaryAnnual General’s Report on CAAC,” he disclosed.