Anambra Man Forced To Join Boko Haram

Mr. Oyebuchi Romanus who hailed from Ekwusigo Local Government Area in
Anambra State yesterday disclosed that he was forcibly recruited by
the Boko Haram insurgents in Jos, Plateau State, where he was doing
business.

Romanus, who told journalists in Yola that he was recruited by the
insurgents in May this year, added that he was taken to a place near
Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State by insurgents for
training against his wish.

He said it was the prayers of Nigerians that helped him to escape from
the training camp of the insurgents near Madagali.

The 34-year-old Igbo man, while narrating his ordeal, said he was
forcibly recruited in May this year by insurgents shortly after he had
lost his business in a bomb blast that rocked Jos.

He explained that while he was lamenting over the loss of his
business, unknown men forcibly put him in the boot of their car and
later discovered that they were driving towards the Northern part of
the country.

Romanus said he couldn't do anything because he was drugged and later
fell asleep in their car after he was brought out of the boot of the
car..

On reaching their destination, his abductors finally introduced
themselves as members of the Boko Haram sect.

He said he was asked by his abductors to join them or they would kill
him which he agreed and that, and later escaped from their training
camp close to Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

"I accepted to join the Boko Haram group to save my life. My religious
belief and upbringing forbid me from killing my fellow human being
which made me not to participate in any of their activities, and when
they realised this, they started threatening my life even to the point
of swearing in the name of Allah(God) that they would killed me if l
continue to dodge their activities, but when I saw how serious they
were, I decided to run away from their camp to Niger Republic when I
was asked to fetch water from a nearby river before finding my way
back to the state," he narrated.

Also Mr. John Matthew, a native of Madagali, told journalists in Yola
that some of them were forcibly recruited but he said he was abandoned
by the insurgents in a desert because he fell ill and managed to
escape to Yola, the state capital.

--Thisday