Nigerians have taken turns to express their fear for the nation’s future after the dreaded Boko Haram terrorist group released some photographs showing children undergoing religious and combat training in a camp.
The images which were released during the weekend captured relatively young children dressed in combat-style clothing and balaclava participating in martial arts training, weapon handling training, and religious education class.
A child soldier and two instructors were captured in the image holding what appeared to be a Zastava M21, likely captured from Cameroonian security forces, HumAngle reported.
Some children were also shown holding different Kalashnikov pattern assault rifles with under folding, side-folding, and fixed wooden stocks.
The sad developments come just months after Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum had in September 2020 warned that Boko Haram was recruiting children, a move which he said could escalate the problem of insurgency.
Reacting to the photos on micro-blogging platform Twitter many Nigerians expressed anger over how insecurity had degenerated in the North East.
Some others expressed fears that the ugly development was a ticking time bomb. We bring you some of their reactions.
https://twitter.com/Kvnq_sheymhan/status/1366084950982864901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1366084950982864901%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublish.twitter.com%2F%3Fquery%3Dhttps3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FKvnq_sheymhan2Fstatus2F1366084950982864901widget%3DTweet
https://twitter.com/Alparani28/status/1366217742555185152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1366217742555185152%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublish.twitter.com%2F%3Fquery%3Dhttps3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FAlparani282Fstatus2F1366217742555185152widget%3DTweet
This is a very big problem developing. No sensible person should be talking about 2023 election in Nigeria, as a matter of urgency all lawmakers and authorities should be discussing how to Regionalize government or split/divide the country.
— Ferdi (@Fedoski247) February 28, 2021
If this story is true. Then we are completely in the hand of God.
Father Lord Jesus Christ, every machination of the cruelty against humanity in Nigeria and in the world be truncated by your power.
In Jesus'name. Amen
— John Erinle (@JohnErinle4) February 28, 2021
Hmm
Everybody is laughing now
Nigeria is on a time bomb wen it goes off it will kill everybody see d hate on dis boy eyes pic.twitter.com/JWyFst3R5c— BIG R♋ (@CallmiBigR) February 28, 2021