How 13-year-old suicide bomber joined B’Haram

 Zaharau Babangida, a 13-year-old suicide bomber who was introduced to terrorism by his father, was arrested by the Kano state police command on Wednesday.

The suspect, a native of Bauchi state, was apprehended after the twin blasts at Kantin Kwari textile market on December 10 with a bomb vest strapped around her.

Two other female suicide bombers executed the blast, which killed at least 10 people at the ancient, popular market.

Zaharau explained that on the day of the Kantin Kwari blasts, she had a change of mind when she witnessed two of her partners blown to smithereens.

Adenrele Shinaba, state commissioner of police, said a commercial tricycle operator alerted the security agents that a girl dropped an explosive device. He said the bomber herself confessed to attempting to commit the crime.

“My parents took me to the Boko Haram training camp in Bauchi (because I did not know where they were taking me to) where one of the trainers asked me if I wanted to go to paradise. In my reply to him, I gladly told him that I would like to enter paradise,” the suspect was quoted as saying.

“Then he told me that I had an assignment to carryout in Kano. After the necessary, training he told me that, two other female bombers and I would travel to Kano to execute the assignment. So after the execution of the assignment, we will now be entitled to make paradise.

“But when I was told that I would have to die before entering  paradise and the man further stated that I would have to carry bomb and die, I said I could not do it. He then declared that it was either I accepted to do the work or they dug the ground and buried me alive. I was afraid to be buried alive, because I saw many that were been buried alive and resolved to abide by the order out of duress.”

She recalled that on arriving in Kano, they were taken straight to Kantin-Kwari market; and when it was time for the execution, the accomplice told all three girls to divide up and take positions.

“The other two female suicide bombers suicide detonated the bombs hidden in their bodies since we were all wearing hijab, while on my part, I vehemently refuse to ignite mine. As a result of my closeness to the two female bombers, I was injured on my left leg, by the explosion.

“Due to the injury I sustained, I shouted for help. The commercial tricycle operator who sympathised with me took me to Dawanau, where we resided with my parents before. However, before I dropped from the tricycle, I successfully removed the concealed bomb in my body and left it on the seat of the tricycle.

“When the tricycle operator saw the exhibit on the seat, he immediately dashed into the house where I was taking treatment and asked me whether I was the owner of the exhibit and I replied him that it was mine. At that time, I was about to be taken to the hospital. Before the tricycle operators alerted the security agents, I was already in the hospital where I was being treated for the injury I sustained from the explosion. That was how I was arrested by the security agents at the hospital.”