Child Soldiers of Boko Haram: Why (and How) Children Join Armed Groups in Northeastern Nigeria

Child recruitment by armed groups has become a phenomenon in Nigeria’s experience with terrorism and insurgency. Based on qualitative interviews with former child soldiers and key actors involved in the conflict in Northeast Nigeria, the study examines the process of recruitment of the underaged by Boko Haram and the Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP) with focus on the drivers, methods of recruitment, and the reintegration programs. The study is premised on the theories of radicalization and argued that the three P’s (Push, Pull, and Personal) thesis is relevant to understand child recruitment in the conflict. The study observed the strategic importance of children to the armed groups and demonstrates the existence of the three P factors in the recruitment of child soldiers by the armed groups. The study further observed challenges in the disengagement, rehabilitation, and reintegration processes and recommends strategies to address those challenges.