The government of Borno State, the hub of a festering Islamist insurgency in Northeast Nigeria, has claimed that the hundreds of terrorists behind the violent attacks in communities in the State and beyond are only “criminals”, not jihadists.
Nigerian authorities have been fighting an insurgency since 2009 against Islamic State-allied terrorists who call themselves Boko Haram (western learning forbidden) or Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP). Their goal is to establish their radical interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia, in the region.
The special adviser to the Borno State Government on security affairs, Brigadier General Ishaq Abdullahi (Rtd) told Daily Trust that over 90 per cent of the die-hard jihadists are dead, which shows the reduction in terrorist activities in the region.
“Some are dead as a result of snake bites in the bush, some died as a result of military actions, some drowned during rainy seasons, some died due to gunshot wounds; some as a result of massive surrendering we have witnessed in the last two years,” said Abdullahi on Sunday.
“Some as a result of in-fighting among them because of the leadership positions, especially after the death of Shekau, and that has led to the death of more than 90 per cent of the die-hards with Boko Haram ideology.”
He added, “So, if you look at it, the ideology is gone and I can tell you that those parading themselves now are criminals who don’t have the ideology.”
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
