Boko Haram has many routes into Nigeria

Since July 26, 2009, acts of domestic terrorism perpetrated by the Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati wal Jihad (People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad”), also known as Boko Haram, have eclipsed Nigeria’s long standing security threats such as piracy, militancy, kidnappings, and armed robbery.

The Nigerian Islamist group attracted worldwide attention beginning from July 2009, when it staged a violent anti-government uprising that resulted in the death of thousands of people, mostly civilians, security operatives and the sect members including their spiritual leaders, Mohammed Yusuf.

The group has since then ramped up violent attacks on diverse government and civilian targets, including a suicide bombing attacks on different locations in the country, with the most hit states being Adamawa,Yobe and Borno, the epicentre of the crisis.

Of particular concern are the growing sophisticated arms and weapons used by the Islamists in recent attacks, as shown in the seizures made by security forces in northern Nigeria.

Geographically, Borno, with an area of 61,435sq.km, is the largest in the federation in terms of land mass. Located on the north eastern corner of Nigeria, the state occupies the greatest part of the Chad Basin and shares porous borders with Republic of Niger to the north, Chad to the north east and Cameroon to the east.

In Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, the porous nature of the borders is almost tearing the states apart due to the war waged by Boko Haram against government as well as security establishments including school children, business men/women and teachers.

The terrorist war, which has so far caused the deaths of thousands of security and civilian population and the destruction of property worth billions of Naira, is gradually crippling the socio- economic activities in the three affected states in the North-East.

Pundits believe that the preponderance nature of the porous borders in Yobe and Adamawa must be tackled to stem the influx of terrorists into the two states, including Borno, seen as the birth place and breeding ground of the Boko Haram sect.

According to the Comptroller of Immigration in Borno State, Mr. Modu Musa Miringa, the state shares borders with Niger to the north, Chad to the north-east and Cameroun to the east. Speaking on the influx of illegal immigrants into the state almost on daily basis,

Governor Kashim Shettima, in an interview, said: “Locals in border communities believe that willing emigrants from Niger, Chad and Cameroon can venture into Nigeria through more than 10,000 routes that have no gate, police and Customs or Immigration officers.

“It is equally through the same unmanned borders that smugglers, peddlers, traffickers and other sundry offenders troop into Nigeria from Sudan, Central African Republic, Mali and Libya”.

“From Cameroon, for instance, there are over 300 routes that people can get into Nigeria or out of the country with any kind of truck or load, provided they know the terrain,” said a local fisherman called Kunce Mai Zare in Kuros- Kawwa, a village in Monguno Local Government Area of the state.

He alleged that smugglers of contraband goods and those engaged in arms shipment use various means of transportation including donkeys, camels and bull-driven carts to ferry their consignment into the country without a trace.

A primary school teacher in Ashigashiya, Mr. Yusuf Usman Ngoshe, who relocated to Maiduguri as a result of the crisis, told our correspondent, in an interview, that “there are over 50 border villages and hamlets directly linked with some settlements in Cameroon”.

Investigation also indicated that many people in central Borno, Bama, Kala Balge and Ngala Local Government Areas have direct links with Cameroon. Also, apart from Banki, Maksamari, Kumshe, Sigal Diba, Mokhole, Djilbe, Wulgo and Gamboru, there are dozens of settlements with hundreds of people who are more connected to Cameroon than Nigeria. Today, all these local government areas are under the control of Boko Haram.

Likewise, dozens of villages and small towns in the state where it is difficult to identify whether their indigenes are Nigerian, Nigerien or Chadian have all been sacked by the ongoing violence. Such communities are Zaga, Fage, Bula Batube, Ngilewa, Kabbal Balram, Ngurno, Baga, Kawwa, Barwati, Bisagana, Arage, Mitile, Mallam Fatori, Kadi, Asagar, Gashagar, Foguwa and Galjiya, among others.

“Boko Haram has been able to smuggle arms into Nigeria using various methods such as the use of specially crafted skin or thatched bags attached to camels, donkeys and cows where arms are concealed and moved across the borders with the aid of nomadic pastoralists or herders. Its members are known to connive with merchants involved,”a security source said.

There have been deadly Boko Haram attacks in Borno since the beginning of this year. These attacks started in the mountanous villages between Gwoza, Gamboru Ngala council areas which share boundaries with Cameroon and Chad.

The attacks subsequently spread like wildfire targeting security formations, public and private schools, markets, places of worship as suicide bombers hit church and mosques while towns and villagers were captured by the Islamists under security agents watchful eyes.

The attacks claimed thousands of lives, left others injured and property worth billions of naira destroyed as the terrorists gained confidence and were better motivated than our security forces.

Governor Shettima lent credence to the motivation of the Boko Haram fighters when he said: “Our security operatives including the military forces are incapacitated to fight or challenge the activities of the insurgents in the North-east sub region”. Shettima apparently implied that the terrorists have sophisticated weapons more than our security agencies, and that is why anytime they strike, they succeed and overawe our armed security forces and civilians.

Over 15 local government area and hundreds of communities and towns in Borno have been sacked/displaced by the activities of the insurgents since the beginning of this year.

A rundown of the activities of Boko Haram between January and March 2014 in Borno and, by extension, Yobe is as follows:

3rd January: 9 killed in Kayamula village of Konduga L.G.A. by suspected terrorists.

8th January: Wala, country home of member representing Chibok, Gwoza and Damboa federal constituency at the National Assembly, Honourable Peter Biye, came under attack. No live was lost, but the attackers destroyed the lawmaker’s house, a church before carting away food stuff, etc.

9th January: 38 suspected terrorists and one soldier lost their lives in an encounter with troops of 195 Battalion, Damboa.

11th January: 8 killed in Sabon Gari of Hambagda Jaji Ward of Gwoza L.G.A by suspected terrorists.

12th January: 5 killed in Kayamula village of Konduga by suspected terrorists.

14th January: 43 killed in a bomb blast at the general area of Post Office, Maiduguri.

15th January: Terrorists attacked a police station in Banki, a town bordering Cameroon Republic and killed one policeman.

16th January: 12 people killed in Gashigar village of Mobbar Council Area by suspected Boko Haram Islamists. Gashigar shares boarder with Niger Republic.

19th January: 19 killed in Ngawo Fate, Alau villages of Konduga L.G.A by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.

20th January: One staffer of Government Girls Secondary School, Wulgo, Gamboru Ngala L.G.A was shot dead by suspected insurgents.

20th January: 3 killed by suspected terrorists in Wala village of Gwoza L.G.A.

21st January: 8 killed in Kaya Village of Damboa L.G.A. by suspected terrorists.

21st January: 10 killed in Njaba village of Damboa L.G.A. by suspected terrorists.

24th January: Soldiers engaged fleeing terrorists along Firgi- Gwoza Highway and during exchange of gunfire, 4 suspected terrorists were killed.

24th January: Suspected Boko Haram members invaded Wala village of Gwoza Council area and killed two civilians.

26th January: Suspected Boko Haram members invaded Kawuri village of Konduga Council area and killed 85 residents.

30th January: Suspected Boko Haram members planted improved explosive devices (IEDs) on Gwoza -Madagali highway killing seven bus passengers. From 1st to 4th February: 75 Strike Group, NAF, Yola raided Boko Haram hideouts Bulabullin, Yujiwa, Alagarno villages of Damboa axis of Borno and inflicted heavy casualty on the insurgents.

5th February: 18 traders in Gulani council area of Yobe killed by suspected Boko Haram members who ambushed them in Ngalda village.

5th February: 3 killed by suspected insurgents at a relaxation spot/ beer parlour in Askira Uba Council Area.

10th February: 7 killed by suspected insurgents in separate attacks in Chinene and Jebra villages of Gwoza L.G.A.

11th February: 62 killed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Konduga Council Headquarters of Borno state.

14th February: 10 killed in Baga town of Kukawa Council Area, a fishing community bordering Chad.

16th February: 106 killed in Izge village of Gwoza L.G.A.

18th February: Suspected terrorists invaded the country home of Major General Tukur Buratai, the JTF Commander in the Niger Delta, in Buratai District of Biu L.G.A. And killed two security guards.

19th February: Over 100 killed in Bama L.G.A by suspected terrorists.

19th February: About 75 of attackers in Bama council area killed by military airstrikes at the outskirts of the town while attempting to flee after an attack.

22nd February: Two killed in Mairari village of Konduga in suspected Boko Haram attack.

terrorists.

28th February: One female student of Waka College, Biu L.G.A was slaughtered by suspected insurgents in a rented room (off campus) in Bubalwada ward.

1st March: Over 70 killed in twin explosions in Ajilari Railway Crossing, Gomari general area of Maiduguri.

1st March: 40 people killed in Mainok village of Kaga by suspected terrorists.

2nd March: 36 people killed in Mafa Council headquarters by suspected terrorists.

3rd March: About 15 killed in Jakana village of Konduga Council area by suspected terrorists. 5th March: A clash between terrorists and security operatives in Mafa General Area left many terrorists killed.

The second and third quarters of 2014 were considered as the worst in Borno following the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok Local Government Area while writing their SSCE WAEC on the 14th of April. Kano, Bauchi and Plateau states were also not spared of Boko Haram attacks during the outgoing year.