Boko Haram fighters have confirmed their presence in some Local Governments in Niger State and have directed Muslims and Christians to marry off their daughters from age 12 upwards or faces their wrath.
They have directed residents in Local communities they claimed to have conquered to remove their wards from school, a situation that has sent panic down the jitters of the locals.
Some residents who pleaded anonymity fears that terrorists would wreck communities in few days, if nothing was done urgently.
The recent developments climaxed the arson by gunmen in Niger State, who were being described as “bandits” for a very long time. The terrorists had killed hundreds of people in Niger and contiguous states of Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi.
Niger State governor, Sani Bello has confirmed the presence of Boko Haram fighters in the State, saying there were security breaches.
Reacted to an attack in Niger communities on Sunday, the governor said the State was not only dealing with bandits, but he believed Boko Haram Haram terrorists have moved down to Niger State.
In Shiroro Local Government Council of Niger State, several bomb mines were alledgedly planted.
For instance, after series of attacks on villages in Shiroro and Munya LGAs on Sunday, April 25, and Monday, April 26, the governor told newsmen that, “The attackers included not only bandits but also Boko Haram members and their next target would be Abuja, a mere two hours away by road.”
The governor claimed that in Kaure, a village in Shiroro LGA, the attackers had hoisted a Boko Haram flag and were in control of the area.
Recall that members of the Ansarul-Islam and Darul-Salam were dislodged from parts of Niger State a few years ago.
The alarm raised by Governor Bello on Sunday was re-echoed by the Chairman of Shiroro LGA, Suleiman Chukuba, on Monday.
In the last few weeks, communities in Shiroro, Munya and Rafi local government areas had witnessed renewed attacks by suspected Boko Haram fighters leading to the loss of several lives.
Chukuba said, “On the issue of influx of Boko Haram in Shiroro, four wards have been affected.”
He said the residents were made to believe that the invaders were Boko Haram insurgents because of their mode of preaching.
The insurgents threatened the affected communities to withdraw their girl child from the school for early marriage or in days to come they will incure their deadly angers.
Already, it was gathered that the insurgents have in their usual manner abducted a total of 47 persons who are mostly women and nursing mothers in the early hours of Monday.
It was gathered that the armed men who invaded the communities with over 35 motorcycles with each carrying three persons were armed with Ak47 with other sophisticated weapons started shooting sporadically on their arrival in the communities and abducted their victims who were mostly women.
Among the communities that suffered the invasion of these jihadists include, Koki, Galadima, Kongo, Guramana, Koshie and other neighboring communities within Shiroro and Muya Local Governments
According to a youth leader in Shiroro Local Government, Comrade Yusuf Koki, the activities of the Boko Haram insurgent is on the increase in Shiroro and Muya local government in the last six months.
He said their mode of operations were entirely different from that of the conventional armed bandits who carried their operation through kidnapping and rustling of cows demanding for ransoms running to millions of Naira from relatives.
He disclosed that their weapons in their possessions was more deadly and sophisticated than that of the armed bandits as well as their ascents is also different from the bandits that operates in the community.
“These men have even told us to either withdraw our girl child from school for early marriage and the boys should only concentrate on Islamic schools or they incure their full wrath.
“Infact, they even told us they will relocate to Niger State to launch their deadly attack on the people of the State.
“That of the Northeast will be a child’s play to the one they will carry out in the entire communities in Niger State. And they have started their attacks in the early hours of last week Saturday at least they killed two soldiers and injured 12 others that are currently on admission at IBB Specialist Hospital in Minna.” he told CAPITAL POST.
In an interview with Journalists on his hospital bed at IBB Specialist Hospital in Minna, the team leader of a Military unit in Koki, Major Daniel Omale stated that himself and his men were ambushed by men of Boko Haram while they were on rescue operation to some of the community under attack by the insurgents.
He said 12 of them received various gun wound from the insurgent while several of them were killed by his team and two “of my men were killed by the Boko Haram.”
