Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have taken over more than 500 communities in eight wards of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, Northcentral Nigeria, chairman of Shiroro LGA, Suleiman Chukumba, has said.
Lamenting that they now in charge of day-to-day administration of the communities, the LGA chairman said the terrorists are trying to equip the people with weapons to fight against the government security agents.
Early this year, Governor Abubakar Bello raised the alarm that Boko Haram had hoisted their flag in some communities in Shiroro LGA.
On Monday, Defence Headquarters confirmed the presence of ISWAP terrorists in the Northwest region of Nigeria, saying they attacked the Forward Operation Base (FOB) at Burkusuma in Sabon Birni LGA of Sokoto State.
The Shiroro LGA chairman, Chukumba, told journalists in Minna, the Niger State capital, that “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.”
He said the terrorists “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.”
Chukumba expressed worries that the preaching of the Boko Haram members are 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.
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.