Nigeria: Army Releases 183 Children Suspected of Having Ties to Boko Haram

Local Editor

Nigeria’s armed forces released 183 children who were being held on suspicion of having ties to militant extremist group Boko Haram.

The 175 boys and eight girls – whose ages ranged from eight to 18 years – were freed in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, after being cleared of any association with the group.

The children were moved to a state-run center, where they are receiving medical treatment.

The Nigerian office of the United Nations Children’s Fund [UNICEF] said it will work with the Borno government to support the children.

After receiving medical and psychological assistance, the children will be reunited with their families.

The Nigerian government was criticized for detaining children in the past.

In 2016, rights group Amnesty International reported that 149 people, including 11 children and babies as young as five months, died in a detention facility in Maiduguri.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team