Seized Weapons Will Last Boko Haram for 12 Months —Negotiator
NOVEMBER 5, 2014
BY TEMITAYO FAMUTIMI
Nigerian Punch
Food items, money and weapons seized by Boko Haram in Adamawa State’s second largest city, Mubi, will be enough to sustain the activities of the insurgents for a year, a Federal Government-Boko Haram go-between, Ahmad Salkida, has said.
Boko Haram had last week continued with its expansionist drive by overrunning Mubi; Vimtim — home town of the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, and other communities in the state.
The Borno-born journalist on self-exile in the United Arab Emirates stated that the resources seized so far were exclusive of contributions to the insurgents from like-minded Jihadi groups and non-combatant members who are wealthy business moguls.
Salkida stated this during a Twitter chat moderated by a United Kingdom-based Nigerian blogger, Akin Akintayo, and an activist, Jibrin Ibrahim.
He argued that the Islamist sect sustains its terrorist activities with robbery, extortion, small and high profile kidnapping, adding that ransom remains their “biggest war chest.”
Warning that the Boko Haram crisis “may go out of control,” Salkida stated that he had been reliably informed that the radical Islamist group, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, “has sent envoys to examine Boko Haram.”
According to him, the leadership of Boko Haram believes that their “success” is built with the blood of their brethren shed on the battlefield, adding that many of its members “prefer to die in war than in peacetime.”
“My sources told me that the money, resources, food and military hardware they got from Mubi can sustain their war for one year. A large chunk of their weapons and other hardware are seized from Cameroun security forces but in most cases from the Nigerian Army.
“Boko Haram ideological army goes into war to die than to come back alive. We have to give soldiers in the Nigerian Army that kind of feeling to die for Nigeria.
“But I’m afraid this crisis may go out of control. My sources say IS has sent envoys to examine Boko Haram. If they have an agreement, we are likely going to see IS asking jihadists that cannot travel to Iraq/Syria to go to Nigeria and Libya to fight,” Salkida said.
When asked if he would be willing to provide the military authorities with details of the hideouts of the Boko Haram leaders he had been liaising with, Salkida insisted that he would never abuse the “journalistic privilege” and severe his “decade-long” relationship with the sect.
He, however, stated that the leaders and foot soldiers of the terrorist group, whom he described as “disciplined”, live in “mountainous and forest areas” of the north east, adding that the majority of them have a strong knowledge of the environment.
Noting that there were some “political Boko Haram” groups who use the name of the sect to carry out assassinations of their opponents, he explained that the real Boko Haram sect on the rampage have nothing to do with local politics, but inclined to a global Jihadi movement.
He noted that what the sect really wants is to implement their brand of Sharia in which Muslims, Christians or atheists who oppose their doctrine will be attacked.
He argued that even if the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, becomes the Nigerian President and every Christian converts to Islam, Boko Haram would continue their onslaught.
“Their (Boko Haram’s) grouse is with the institution of democracy and our way of life. To Boko Haram, both supporters and secular institutions must be destroyed.
“Many have suggested that Boko Haram was the offshoot of growing unemployment. Clearly, there’s huge and frightening degree of unemployment.
“But the fuse that drives Boko Haram terror is with the sect’s doctrinaire. What we are dealing with is a growing global Muslim ideologue.
“Boko Haram does not see me and others as Muslims because of our inclination to Western education and civil obedience based on the constitution.
“Teachers and students are killed because they are seen by the sect as laying the foundation for a secular way of life,” Salkida argued.
The only way out of the Boko Haram crisis, he said, was for the military forces to “meet Boko Haram in the battlefield” rather than negotiating with them.
According to Salkida, as long as Boko Haram makes sustained territorial gains, they would always determine the course of any negotiation.
“We can only fight with a professional army that is accountable. Government must ensure that no more territories are lost. And they must bring in new thinking that is devoid of corruption.
“The only way out of this is for government to fight if it can, but if it can’t, then it must give in to the demands of Boko Haram. But negotiation is only possible if Nigeria will part with some of its territory,” the 40-year-old added.
Contact: editor@punchng.com
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| Damage from Boko Haram bombing in northeast Nigeria. |
BY TEMITAYO FAMUTIMI
Nigerian Punch
Food items, money and weapons seized by Boko Haram in Adamawa State’s second largest city, Mubi, will be enough to sustain the activities of the insurgents for a year, a Federal Government-Boko Haram go-between, Ahmad Salkida, has said.
Boko Haram had last week continued with its expansionist drive by overrunning Mubi; Vimtim — home town of the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, and other communities in the state.
The Borno-born journalist on self-exile in the United Arab Emirates stated that the resources seized so far were exclusive of contributions to the insurgents from like-minded Jihadi groups and non-combatant members who are wealthy business moguls.
Salkida stated this during a Twitter chat moderated by a United Kingdom-based Nigerian blogger, Akin Akintayo, and an activist, Jibrin Ibrahim.
He argued that the Islamist sect sustains its terrorist activities with robbery, extortion, small and high profile kidnapping, adding that ransom remains their “biggest war chest.”
Warning that the Boko Haram crisis “may go out of control,” Salkida stated that he had been reliably informed that the radical Islamist group, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, “has sent envoys to examine Boko Haram.”
According to him, the leadership of Boko Haram believes that their “success” is built with the blood of their brethren shed on the battlefield, adding that many of its members “prefer to die in war than in peacetime.”
“My sources told me that the money, resources, food and military hardware they got from Mubi can sustain their war for one year. A large chunk of their weapons and other hardware are seized from Cameroun security forces but in most cases from the Nigerian Army.
“Boko Haram ideological army goes into war to die than to come back alive. We have to give soldiers in the Nigerian Army that kind of feeling to die for Nigeria.
“But I’m afraid this crisis may go out of control. My sources say IS has sent envoys to examine Boko Haram. If they have an agreement, we are likely going to see IS asking jihadists that cannot travel to Iraq/Syria to go to Nigeria and Libya to fight,” Salkida said.
When asked if he would be willing to provide the military authorities with details of the hideouts of the Boko Haram leaders he had been liaising with, Salkida insisted that he would never abuse the “journalistic privilege” and severe his “decade-long” relationship with the sect.
He, however, stated that the leaders and foot soldiers of the terrorist group, whom he described as “disciplined”, live in “mountainous and forest areas” of the north east, adding that the majority of them have a strong knowledge of the environment.
Noting that there were some “political Boko Haram” groups who use the name of the sect to carry out assassinations of their opponents, he explained that the real Boko Haram sect on the rampage have nothing to do with local politics, but inclined to a global Jihadi movement.
He noted that what the sect really wants is to implement their brand of Sharia in which Muslims, Christians or atheists who oppose their doctrine will be attacked.
He argued that even if the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, becomes the Nigerian President and every Christian converts to Islam, Boko Haram would continue their onslaught.
“Their (Boko Haram’s) grouse is with the institution of democracy and our way of life. To Boko Haram, both supporters and secular institutions must be destroyed.
“Many have suggested that Boko Haram was the offshoot of growing unemployment. Clearly, there’s huge and frightening degree of unemployment.
“But the fuse that drives Boko Haram terror is with the sect’s doctrinaire. What we are dealing with is a growing global Muslim ideologue.
“Boko Haram does not see me and others as Muslims because of our inclination to Western education and civil obedience based on the constitution.
“Teachers and students are killed because they are seen by the sect as laying the foundation for a secular way of life,” Salkida argued.
The only way out of the Boko Haram crisis, he said, was for the military forces to “meet Boko Haram in the battlefield” rather than negotiating with them.
According to Salkida, as long as Boko Haram makes sustained territorial gains, they would always determine the course of any negotiation.
“We can only fight with a professional army that is accountable. Government must ensure that no more territories are lost. And they must bring in new thinking that is devoid of corruption.
“The only way out of this is for government to fight if it can, but if it can’t, then it must give in to the demands of Boko Haram. But negotiation is only possible if Nigeria will part with some of its territory,” the 40-year-old added.
Contact: editor@punchng.com
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