I killed 13 people in 3 years, says 17-year-old boy whom Boko Haram trained to repair AK 47

A 17-year-old Boko Haram suspect has opened up on how Boko Haram insurgents forced him to kill 13 people in Chikingudu forest in Kalabalge local government area of Borno state.

Speaking with reporters after men of the Borno command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arrested him, the suspect said his commander sent him on a spy mission in Maiduguri.

He said the insurgents held him captive for three years.

“I was kidnapped in 2013 when the insurgents stormed Marte town, they took us away to Chikungudu forest in Kalabalge local government area,” he said.

“I was held captive for three years at Chikungudu. During those three years, I killed 13 people in separate locations.

“First was at Chikungudu, where we were held hostage. They forced us to kill people, especially when they returned from a mission.

“They said they were testing us and, therefore brought some people and asked me to kill five people. I initially declined but they threatened to kill me, so, I had no option but to kill them.”

He said the insurgents later came with three other people and forced him to kill them.

“The second time was at a village called Burssari, they also brought five people and asked me to kill them, which I did,” he confessed.

“I spent three years with the insurgents in Chikunguda and Kalabalge. Life for us was indeed terrible. We were trained to dismantle and repair AK 47 rifles.”

He also said more than 500 underage children were initiated as child soldiers.

Ibrahim Abdullahi, commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state, said his men arrested the suspect near the Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Maiduguri.

Abdullahi said the suspect’s parents were among the IDPs taking refuge at the camp.

“The suspect will be handed over to the military for further investigation and profiling,” he said.