Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has expressed concern about the presence of Boko Haram and Ansaru militants in the state. Terrorist camps have been built in the state’s Birnin-Gwari and Giwa Local Government Areas, according to El-Rufai.
He said that while the state is still battling bandits, the presence of the terrorist groups in the state shows that the problem of insecurity has moved from the North-East to the North-West.
The governor urged the military and other security authorities to respond immediately to the terrorists’ presence and prevent them from relocating their base to the north.
He said the government got the information about the presence of the terrorists in the state from one of the kidnap victims that was released recently.
El-Rufai revealed this on Thursday while receiving the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan’s, 2022 First Quarter Security Report.
He said, “It is unfortunate that in spite of our investment in human, material and other resources to stem the tide of criminality in the state, the levels are still a source of concern.
“This presentation has brought out new emerging concerns that I will want the security council to take note of and discuss and maybe to proffer some suggestions.
“The first great concern is the emergence of Boko Haram terrorists enclave as well as activities of Ansaru, particularly in Birnin-Gwari and Chikun Local Government.
“Among those kidnapped from the train, was a former roommate and classmate of mine who was released upon payment of a ransom and throughout the period that he was in captivity, it was very clear that the terrorists were making comments like the forests in Kaduna are even better than Sambisa, so, they should all relocate here. I think this is an area we should all be concerned about.
“And that is why we have been making the point that the problem of insecurity now has moved from the North-East to the North-West. What is happening in North-West is far more serious and potentially more dangerous than we have ever had in the North-East and we will like the military and other security agencies to take notice of this before it gets out of control.”
The governor also said that terrorists in the state have begun utilizing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and mines, which the bandits had previously avoided.
He said: “The second which is related to the first is the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (EIDs) and mines in the state. We have been lucky thanks to the Police we have been able to defuse most of them without causing major loss of lives.
“This is still a major concern. Because this shows very clearly the movement from banditry to terrorism with expertise in making explosive devices. Again this is because Boko Haram and Ansaru elements have moved into the state.”
Ansaru,’ begins recruitment in Kaduna
“Intelligence reports at his disposal indicate that Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Ansaru terrorists were recruiting Kaduna youths,” the governor said while receiving the 2022 first quarter security report, which stated that 360 people were killed and 1,389 others kidnapped in the state between January and March.
Meanwhile, Kabiru Adamu, a security specialist, has warned that the terrorist group Ansaru is actively recruiting in Kaduna and Niger states.
On Friday, the security, risk management, and intelligence solution consultant revealed this on Channels Tv’s Daily Sunrise program.
He claimed that terrorist enclaves were being built between the Kaduna and Niger states’ border areas, noting that the situation was becoming dangerous and that the government needed to act quickly.
According to the security expert, “The worrisome aspect is that they are recruiting actively within those locations.
“In several communities there, what they do is that they use little influence sometimes offering residents little money or protection and residents out of fear or perhaps because they don’t have any choice, embrace that olive branch they are offering to them.
“Before you know, the various participation of a person in a terrorist group starts exhibiting itself. It could be either silent membership or active support, it could be in form of informants.
“This is well established. As far back as November last year, we started documenting this.”
Ansaru split from Boko Haram in 2012 due to ideological differences, according to the security expert.
He indicated that a lot of its membership and leaders are from the Northwest of Nigeria, adding that they started their operation in Kano and parts of Katsina.
“You will recall in 2014 when a French engineer was abducted in Katsina, then another engineer was abducted in Kano and in Birni-Kebbi, a Briton and an Italian were abducted. All of these were related to the activities of the group,” Adamu said.
He said the major ideological difference at that time between Ansaru and Boko Haram was in terms of the methodology with which the parent group was trying to achieve its objectives which is through suicide bombing.
“They felt that suicide bombing was not the way they want to embrace because people were killed at random.
“What they did was abductions, specifically targeting internationals and then they will now make political demands.
“When they abducted the French engineer in Katsina, one of the demands was that France should repeal the law on the use of veils by Muslims in France,” he said.
The security expert added that some of their leaders were arrested in 2014 which forced them to go underground until 2018, 2019 when Nigerians started seeing videos and postings on social media suggesting that they were returning.
Nigeria has a national counter-terrorism policy, according to Adamu, but it is not being implemented efficiently.
He bemoaned the fact that the military was the only government body implementing the policy, despite the fact that it was only one of 27 ministries, departments, and organizations responsible for its implementation.
As a result, Adamu has asked for a review of the counter-terrorism policy to identify and address any shortcomings.
