Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists are extending their reach from Northern part of Borno State, Northeast Nigeria, where they have “a firm root,” to Southern Borno where they are now taxing farmers and regularly mounting ieelgal checkpoints on the highways.
A source noted that as ISWAP recently upped their game in the Southern part of the State, they have in the last few months been collecting “tolls” from drivers and “taxes” from farmers.
In addition, the terrorists have mounting checkpoints on highways especially the one linking Damboa and Biu.
According to the source, “they have three checkpoints along Damboa-Biu Highway for some time. They normally stop commuters and search the car if there are any security personnel or humanitarian workers in the vehicles because they don’t treat them lightly.”
A passenger, Ismail, said the terrorists do send drivers plying the road on errands to buy some commodities for them from Biu while coming back.
“They have a checkpoint at Sabon Gari, Yemantan area, Ruga and smaller ones along the road. They are in strategic places where they can see vehicles from far away. They dress like soldiers and whenever the drivers see them, they would stop,” he said.
A teacher in Damboa narrated his ordeal when he had an encounter with the ISWAP group on his way to Biu recently.
“They were so free and doing things as if it were normal. Our driver told us not to panic when he saw them approaching us. I was half dead but I summoned courage and the ISWAP fighter asked who am I? I told him that I am a petty trader and he asked me to buy detergents, bread and sleepers for him. He gave our driver N7,200 and asked him to do something for him,” he said.
A top Borno State government confirmed that many farmers are living under the control of ISWAP fighters in the Damboa axis.
“The terrorists allow the locals to farm and they collect what they called zakat (an annual alms tax or poor rate) from every farmer after they harvest their produce,” he said.
The source claimed that the farmers were not averse to the arrangement, stating: “When Boko Haram under Shekau infested these areas, they don’t even allow people to go to their farms; so, when ISWAP somehow took over, they said people can go to their farms but must pay tax and also pay zakat.”
A farmer, who gave his name as Musa Mrusha, told Daily Trust that many of the locals said they don’t want authorities to know.
“In the past, many Boko Haram fighters have killed many farmers during harvest time like this. But have you heard of such this year? Early last month, they came and told me while I was at the farm that when it is time to harvest, they have their portions which I agreed and fulfilled the promised,” Musa said.
But a security expert, Salihu Bakhari who had worked in the North East when he was in the service, said a new trend had emerged.
“The ISWAP fighters are a terrible people…They have a way of living ‘peacefully’ with the locals without harming them except for those leaking information to the authorities,” he said.
“This is what is happening in Northern Borno where people are farming and fishing while terrorists are milking them through tax collection. Also, the ISWAP fighters only attack security operatives. It is very rare to see them tackling civilians.
“This is what they are trying to extend to Southern Borno and parts of central parts of the state and is very dangerous. It is part of their territorial conquests and government must stop it,” he said.
First published in Daily Trust