Worry over Spread of Boko Haram in Niger State

By Adedapo Adesanya

There is a renewed worry in the north-central region of Nigeria as Boko Haram and other Islamist insurgent groups have allegedly eroded 500 communities in eight wards of Shiriro Local Government Area of Niger State.

This followed an alarm raised by the chairman of the local government, Mr Suleiman Chukumba, that Boko Haram now rules in most of the communities, accusing the group of trying to equip the people to fight against the government.

Speaking with journalists in Minna on the situation of Shiroro LGA, Mr Chukumba said, “As the chairman of Shiroro LGA, I can tell you that Shiroro is not only dealing with the issue of banditry, it has a lot of Boko Haram. I have proof of this as the chairman.”

Earlier, the Governor of Niger State, Mr Abubakar Bello, had claimed that Boko Haram fighters have hoisted their flag in some communities in Shiroro LGA.

The council chief later affirmed this, saying that Boko Haram has proclaimed that they do not want conventional primary and secondary schools and that their only preference was the Islamic school.

“They have told the people that they do not want primary or secondary school in the communities and that they only want to see Islamic schools.

“They have been trying to incorporate and recruit residents of the communities to become their members, telling them that they will give the recruits arms and assist them in fighting the government,” Mr Chukumba stated.

He expressed worry that the preaching of the Boko Haram members is against the government and that they have been asking residents to be part of what they are doing.

“The entire wards are affected by banditry and Boko Haram insurgents. Five hundred communities in the eight wards are affected. The wards include Manta, Gurmana, Bassa-Kokki, Allawa, Kurebe, Kushaka, Kwati, Chukumba and Galadima Kogo,” he noted.

Mr Chukumba appealed to the federal government to bring in more security personnel to help the state disband and dislodge the Boko Haram bandits that had already made Shiroro LGA their home.

This spread of the insurgent group in Niger state, the largest state by landmass and signifies its foray into North Central Nigeria which is the region where the Nigerian seat of government is located.