'Boko Haram recruits young artisans by providing loans'

Nigerian military has warned that the Islamic terror group, Boko Haram is luring young people by giving them loans as a bait for membership.

The Defence Headquarters in a statement on their website said the terror group is offering loans to young entrepreneurs in the country’s troubled northeast as part of recruitment.

Butchers, traders, tailors, beauticians and other vocational entrepreneurs are major targets of the “unholy business engagement,” it said.

Boko Haram Luring Youths With Loans – Nigerian Army https://t.co/z2vihEDfkD #Nigeria pic.twitter.com/cfa4n9gFMt

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“After such loans, the beneficiaries are given the option of either joining the group or risk being killed if they fail to pay the loan as at when due,” the military said.

“The payment has been surreptitiously programmed to fail by the benefactor, the Boko Haram,” the statement added.

The defence authorities have advised residents especially those in the north east of the country to avoid loans or financial assistance from non conventional sources.

The military said Boko Haram’s desperation to recruit members shows the sustained offensive by government forces is working.

But critics say the government has not been as effective in fighting the terror group.

Last week marked the two-year anniversary of Boko Haram’s abduction of over 200 school girls from Chibok town.

Most of the girls are still being held captive, forcefully married to the terrorist fighters, and in some cases used as suicide bombers.

Boko Haram, which means Western education is banned, in the local Hausa language, has become the deadliest terror group in Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon.

The group, which is blamed for attacks on government targets as well as schools, mosques and churches, has killed more people in West Africa than ISIS.