By Our Correspondent
As against popular believe, two major terrorist groups in Nigeria, Boko Haram and ISWAP, are reportedly in full control of large number of communities, including local government headquarters in Borno State, northeast of the country.
In particular, parts of Borno state surrounding Sambisa Forest including areas like Gwoza Hill, Banki, Bama to Dikwa, Marte, Monguno to Kukawa, and Gamboru Ngala to Kala Balge are respectively under their control.
The terrorist groups have even created their own States.
These amongst other revelations were contained in an research statement released by a Borno Born activist and Director General, Centre for Justice on Religious and Ethnicity in Nigeria, Rev. Kallamu Musa Ali Dikwa, and made available to newsmen.
In a petition statement addressed to US President – elect Donald Trump, and copied the international community, Dikwa is seeking interventions to help clampdown on the insurgence for sake of the less privileged Nigerians residing in those areas.
Entitled: “Nigeria’s Security Crisis: B’Haram and ISWAP’s Persistent Control”, the statement reads in parts: “Government is always deceiving Nigerians concerning activities of the terrorist groups in the country especially B’Haram and ISWAP terrorist groups.
“The group are still controlling many parts of Borno State surrounding Sambisa Forest to Gwoza Hill, Banki, Bama to Dikwa, Marte, Monguno to Kukawa, Gamboru Ngala to Kala Balge.
“All these areas/villages are still being occupied by the terrorist groups. Only major villages that are on the roads side that you can see people returning to and these terrorists are farming freely.
“They have created 7 states in these areas and also appointed their 7 governors. A bag of maize over there is N12,000,00. They farm maize, beens, soya beens, beniseed and lots of produce where they have occupied and if these terrorist groups kidnapped their victims, they normally demand payment of ransom in CFA or dollar currencies.
“They disguise themselves and enter major cities to buy whatever they want. Now the villagers, forced by the hardship and hunger have relocated back to their communities and are living with the terrorist groups who they’re paying them tax, so that the terrorists will allow them to farm”, it stated.
Accordingly, “B’Haram, ISWAP with the Fulani herdsmen have an agreement with the villagers to be paying tax to the terrorists as no government officials can go to these areas to collect tax”.
“Another danger looming ahead in Nigeria is the rehabilitation of the so-called repentant B’Haram and ISWAP by the Borno state government.
“This development is worrisome and equally dangerous because they are going back to Sambisa Forest to join the terrorists in areas that are under their control.
“The terrorist groups are making life easy for their own people where they have occupied. The villagers are now more comfortable with B’Haram and ISWAP than with the Nigerian government.
“This is because they are being well treated by the terrorists. B’Haram and ISWAP are selling their farm products cheaper than the Nigerian government.
“A bag of maize is now sold for N12,000 at the B’Haram community, while the innocent and law-abiding Nigerian citizens are buying a bag of maize at prices of between N60,000 and N70,000.
“The Nigerian Government are making life very difficult to its own masses while, B’Haram make life very easy for the masses under their control.
“Some Nigerian political leaders are heartless and more dangerous than the terrorists. B’Haram and ISWAP terrorist groups that occupied Sambisa Forest, Gwoza Hills, Lake Chad area and many other places created 7 states in Borno State.
“The terrorists are more sympathetic to the people under them than the Nigerian President. The villagers prefer going back to their villages and living with the terrorists because life is made easier for them there.
“Last week the governor of Borno state Babagana Umara Zulum visited the entire Southern LGAs of the state starting from the 8th to 13th November 2024.
“These so-called repentant B’Haram and ISWAP terrorists were given N50k to N100k each while the Police officers that were attached to the governor were only given N20K each.
“The make-to-believe so-called repentant B’Haram are even harassing, intimidating and threatening Nigerian security agencies that they have killed thousands of people before and they’re going to kill anyone that stands to challenge or stop them on what they want to do.
“When the governor was in Gwoza these so-called repentant B’Haram went to see the governor and the Police officers denied them access until permission is given by the governor.
“These terrorists started bragging and wanted to engage the police in a fight. The Police officers had to use tear gas on them before they were dislodged and they withdrew back.
“The same thing is happening in northern Borno, where these so-called repentant terrorists are communicating with their brothers who are in the bush and the ones that occupied the villages around, given them all the necessary information they require with the backing and support of their political masters.
“We are therefore calling on all Nigerians to rise up and fight against this conspiracy to our dear country by some of these criminally minded political leaders who are using the terrorists to enrich themselves, their families and political associates.
“We also call on the International Community to stop given financial support to nigerian government. The visit by governor Babagana Umara Zulum to Southern Borno is to help build Islamic and Arabic Higher Institutions in Askira Uba, Chibok, Gwoza, Shani and Hawul LGAs.
“These are Christian dominated areas and because of his Islamic religion bigotry agenda he brought these projects to this area. These were the requests B’Haram and ISWAP terrorist groups demanded initially from the governor.
“The governor is now using his executive power in executing and fulfilling their agenda. Why can’t he build higher institutions like school of Health, polytechnics, colleges of education and other schools that everybody can attend? Islamic and Arabic Higher Institutions are only for Muslims.
“They don’t want this truth to be out but we will let the world know about it. We must stand to defend our people even with the intimidation, harassment and threats. Come rain come sunshine the truth must be told.
“The so-called repentant of B’Haram and ISWAP terrorists are collaborating with the Nigerian Army giving them dangerous firearms such as RPG, Ak47 rifles and ammunition more than they give to the Nigerian army all in the guise of working together.
“Nigerian army must wise up in handling these so-called repentant B’Haram. The death of the two active Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Attahiru Jega and Lt General Lagbaja who pledged to deal with the terrorist but met with an untimely death leaves questions begging for answers.
“If truly these so-call B’Haram repentant are helping our Nigerian military to curb insecurity, why is it that most of them are going back to join their brothers in the forest?
“Why is it that B’Haram are still controlling some part of the state and have even created their own 7 states and appointed their governors? Right now, from all indications, we have 2 countries. B’Haram have their country and their leaders while Nigeria is also another country with its leaders”, it stated.
