Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has explained some of the major reasons many young people are recruited into terrorist groups operating across the country.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Friday, the Defence Minister said poverty and religious manipulation remain two of the strongest factors pushing people into extremist organisations.
According to Musa, many recruits are misled into believing they are fighting for a religious cause, while others are attracted by financial promises made by terrorist groups.
He explained that most of the individuals are often vulnerable, unemployed, and desperate for survival before they are approached and influenced by extremists.
The minister noted that terrorist organisations usually lure people with money, false promises, and misleading teachings in order to gain new members.
Musa added that some recruits later realise they were deceived after joining the groups.
He also spoke about the government’s rehabilitation programme for former fighters, saying those who surrender are given counselling, vocational training, and skills to help them return to society peacefully.
According to him, security agencies continue to monitor rehabilitated individuals to ensure they do not return to criminal activities.
The Defence Minister maintained that rehabilitation and reintegration remain important parts of Nigeria’s strategy in the fight against terrorism.
For years, terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin have carried out attacks in Nigeria and several other African countries, causing thousands of deaths and displacement.