Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, on Thursday, said only a combination of political and social solutions, as well as kinetic measures, would end insurgency in the northern parts of the country.
Zulum, who disclosed that no fewer than 30,000 Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists have so far laid down their arms, however, declared that the security threat posed by Islamic State’s West African Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram terrorists in his state would end by 2023.
In a related development, Defence Headquarters (DHQ), yesterday, said troops of Operation Hadin Kai, decimated more than 120 fighters of Boko Haram and ISWAP in the North-east in the last three weeks just as air strikes had killed 37 bandits in Niger State.
But Zulum, who spoke with newsmen at the State House, Abuja, after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, said at the rate the terrorists were turning themselves in and with the active support of the federal government, the insurgency would end next year.
According to him, “The way we are going, with the support of the federal government with good management, Boko Haram will be over very soon.”
Asked if the insurgency will end during his tenure, he said, “Insha Allah. Even now in Borno State, we’re doing very well, extremely well. Insha Allah. You know what I mean by Insha Allah, God willing, it will effectively end by 2023.”
He, however, maintained that, part of the measures to be used in terminating insurgency by next year was political and social solutions, including engaging the terrorists in dialogue.
This, he said, was currently yielding results as more Boko Haram terrorists were laying down their arms while ISWAP terrorists were also gradually surrendering to superior government forces and deployment of troops to Southern Borno.
His words: “As I’ve been saying before, the kinetic measures alone will never end the insurgency. The social and political dimension of this crisis is very important. So, we have decided to engage them through dialogue and mediation, with a view to ensuring that many of them should lay their arms. So far, so good, the objective has started yielding positive result.
“Apart from this also, in Borno State, for example, as I told you last time, we had problems in the shores of the Lake Chad as well as in Southern Borno, I’m pleased to inform you that there was a very heavy military deployment into the southern Borno. And I hope such a deployment will also take place in northern Borno, with a view to clearing the ISWAP insurgents in the Lake Chad. So, this has also yielded positive results.
“And then on the relocation of the two local Government Areas that last time, I said are not occupied by human beings, we are also doing very well with the military to see how we can return the population. The military has also given us the go-ahead. So, we’re working with them to see how we can return them. Things are getting better in Borno State and this is the major reason why I came to see Mr President.”
While revealing that some 30,000 terrorists had surrendered between last year and now, and were currently being profiled by appropriate authorities in the state, Zulum said, “As at now,we have received nothing less than 30,000 from beginning to date for both Boko Haram and ISWAP. ISWAP, we have started receiving them in few numbers, but Boko Haram, we have started receiving them in huge numbers.”
The governor also talked about the collaboration between the federal and the state governments over the insurgency saying, “The most important thing is that the federal government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Buhari, the Borno State Government, the military – we’re all working in close collaboration to ensure that those that are willing to surrender are given the opportunity to surrender.”
But on whether the state government promised the terrorists anything in return for laying down their arms, Zulum said there was nothing of such as the terrorists voluntarily surrendered, saying some terrorists were also captured by government troops.
He said, “We don’t have any promissory notes to the terrorists, honestly speaking. But you have to also understand one very important thing, there is a difference between those that have been captured and those that have surrendered. People should understand these two unidentical situations. Go back and Google and see the international conventions, rules and regulation.
“There is a difference between those that have been captured and those that are willingly surrendered. And I’m calling upon all of you to give a very positive insight to this development, because there’s nowhere in the whole world such kind of war ended with kinetic measures.
“There must be some certain political solutions and believe, if there is peace in Northeast and Borno, there will be peace in Northern Nigeria. If there is Peace in Northern Nigeria, there will be peace in southern Nigeria.”
Prodded on the actual number of terrorists still in the forests, the governor said, “There are some issues that should not be discussed in the public; these issues are security issues.”
Meanwhile, the Director, Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Maj. Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, while giving an update on military operations across the country from January 20 to February 10, 2022 in Abuja, said several ISWAP commanders including their Amir and some foreign mercenaries, who made improvised explosive devices were killed during air raids and land operations.
He also said 965 terrorists and their family members had surrendered to troops in different locations within the theatre of operation, affirming further that 104 of the surrendered terrorists were from the ISWAP group while 25 abducted victims were rescued during the operations.
He said the terrorists, who gave up arms were documented and handed over to the appropriate authorities for necessary action, adding that 50 terrorists were arrested from different locations by the gallant troops while five gun trucks and cache of arms and ammunition were recovered.
The troops, he also claimed, recorded significant results at various locations in Adamawa and Yobe around Goniri in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.
“Notably, the air interdiction eliminated several ISWAP commanders and their fighters during the encounter. In the airstrike, ISWAP senior commander Malam Ari, the Amirul Fiya in charge of Kirta Wulgo and some foreign mercenaries fabricating Improvised Explosive Device for the terrorists were killed.
“Relatedly, the air component conducted air strikes on ISWAP enclaves at Abbaganaram, Bukar Mairam, Chukum Gudu and Jubilaram in Marte Local Government Area. In the process, troops neutralised scores of terrorists including high profile commanders, while about 25 terrorists got drowned in the lake in an attempt to escape the bombardment,” he said.
Onyeuko disclosed too that, ISWAP’s armoury and warehouses were destroyed and arrest of several terrorists, recovery of assorted arms, and ammunition were made along with their gun trucks and other weapons, including livestock and other items of security concerns that were recovered, alongside rescued abducted civilians.
Meanwhile, fighter jets and helicopter gunships deployed by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) killed scores of fleeing armed bandits in Niger State, after an initial delay occasioned by poor weather conditions.
It was gathered that the terrorists, who were fleeing the onslaught of troops in Niger State, were intercepted at Labi, along Kaduna-Birnin-Gwari Road.
The bandit leaders had launched violent attacks at several communities in Kontagora, Mariga and Rijau Local Government Areas of the state. They killed children, looted shops, razed many houses and rustled over a thousand cattle.
Security sources said bad weather initially prevented Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jets from launching offensives against the rampaging bandits. But the Air Component of Operation Gama Aiki on Wednesday dispatched an Alpha jet and helicopter gunship to the locations to take out the targets as the ground troops with local volunteers were moving in.
“Subsequently, the contact with the troops led to the bandits taking the option of following another route to continue their movement. Effective intelligence efforts necessitated the blocking of their alternative route by the reinforcing ground forces and the dispatch of attack platforms bearing heavy armament for effective annihilation of the armed bandits.
“On arrival, visual and radio contact were established with the ground forces, who described the direction of the bandits to the crew. The armed bandits and herds of cattle were brought to instant doom as air strikes were conducted in close succession over the general area. Fleeing bandits were followed up and engaged decisively and with sincerity of purpose,” he said.
Spokesman of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, confirmed the air interdiction.
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
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