“I was abducted at gun point by two men on a motorcycle and taken to a town occupied by the group. After a day, we moved to another town, then another, that was how we kept on. There were lots of us, I saw hundreds of fighters, there were also many captives, but all of us including the captives, were set on groups but not in one place within the camps,” he said.
Talking about the activities in the camp, Alaji said that the females in the camp were morally and sexually abused while the males were being sent on errands.
“There were lots of women in the camps, they raped and abused them. For boys like me, we run errands but everyone knows the repercussion for disobedience, they enforce discipline. they don’t let captives to mix freely,” he stated, adding that this goes to show that the jihad they claim to be waging was not true.
On part of their recruitment strategies, he stressed that they were selected based on their strengths. “We were selected based on our strengths. they put us in trucks and armoured personal carriers. They gave the weaker ones gallons of petrol to burn houses and buildings, and the stronger ones bullets and guns. Our responsibility to deliver this, is to fight on the battle fields during attacks,” the fourteen year old stated.
Alaji, who was forcefully drafted by Boko Haram, stressed on the biggest loss and the most frightening battle he experienced with the group. “The biggest loss I witnessed with Boko Haram was in Gamboru in the hands of the military. The Leader was so furious that he shot and killed two commanders right before us. The most frightening battle was the attack on Baga. when the town was attacked, initially it was difficult to break through,” Alaji said.
Alaji also said the residents were later supported by the Multinational Joint Task Force where they seized equipment and ammunition from the terrorist group. He said the group comprises of fighters from Nigeria and other countries adding that some of the foreign fighters insisted that the campaign they waged in Nigeria be extended to their countries.
Alaji later revealed that some unidentified people do come at night to meet with the leaders of the terrorist group.“At night, we see a convoy of cars that include armoured tanks, and then a green helicopter will arrive. Those inside will then meet the top commanders. Whenever we see the aircraft arrive then go, then we know that the next day, a major attack would be launched. But people like us are not allowed to go near the leaders.
He further explained that he was able to escape in the course of an attacked to be launched in Mongolo.“I was ordered to carry two fighters on motorcycle to Mongolo where we arrived at dawn. The first attack was on the military barracks there. When residents of Mongolo were leaving, I seized the opportunity and rode off with the motorcycle and head to Maiduguri where I was taken to my parents whom I lost contact with since the day I was taken. Everybody thought I was dead or I had formally joined the group,” Alaji said.
Culled from: Channels TV
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