Dozens of children rescued from the Nigerian rebel group Boko Haram got too entrenched in jihadist ideology, that they could not even remember their own names.

The 80 children aged between five and 18 have no recollection of their origin, according to an aid who recently visited them in an orphanage. They do not speak English, French or any local languages.

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"They've lost touch with their parents," Christopher Fomunyoh, a director for the US-based National Democratic Institute (NDI) said. "They've lost touch with people in their villages, they're not able to articulate, to help trace their relationships, they can't even tell you what their names are."

The children were rescued from a Boko Haram camp in northern Cameroon in November. The militants have spread their activities in and out of Nigeria as they establish an Islamic Caliphate.

They abduct, kill and attack village residents. Recently, they have announced allegiance for the Islamic State from Syria and Iraq (ISIS).

Fomunyoh said the children were rescued as a result of a raid in what operatives thought was a Koranic school. The kids had spent so long with their abductors that they lost track of who they are or where they came from.

The rebels reportedly forced the children to learn the jihadist ideology as they try to create hardline Islamic fighters.

Earlier this week, at least six people were killed in a suicide bombing at a marketplace in the northern Nigerian town of Maiduguri. Boko Haram was suspected to be behind the attack. 

The rebel group was formed in 2002 which initially fought western-style education.  "Boko Haram" means "Western education is forbidden."

Thousands have been killed and displaced since the militants launched attacks against villages, police and even the United Nations headquarters in 2009.  They have set up camps and took control over several towns in Nigeria and in other neighboring states.

Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan said the insurgent group had traveled to the Middle East to train with the Islamic State. But he says it remains unknown as to how much funds are involved in  their alliance.

Jonathan has vowed to wipe out Boko Haram camps before the much anticipated presidential elections slated on March 28^th.  Election officials had postponed the polls from its original February 14 schedule citing security concerns brought by the insurgency.  

TagsBoko Haram, child captives, hostages, jihadism, Nigeria